Ultima
by Adamantwrites
Summary: Adult themes/language and violence. Adam marries his business partner's widow-for logical reasons-but as they face a threat together, will love develop between them or will they be destroyed? Disclaimer: No copyright infringement is intended and all recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners.
1. Chapter 3

**1**

"Two men to see you, ma'am," the housekeeper said.

Mrs. Adam Cartwright stood up. She wasn't tall but the way she carried herself and her slender frame made her seem taller. "Please send them in; I don't suppose they have calling cards."

"No, ma'am." The small, plump, gray-haired woman turned to leave but Mrs. Cartwright called her back.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Do they look like coffee or whiskey, Mrs. Fontaine?"

"Whiskey, ma'am."

"Then have Amanda bring in coffee. And a plate of butter cookies. I may as well be as gracious as possible since I am my husband's representative, so to speak."

"Yes, ma'am." The housekeeper smiled to herself while shaking her head in amusement. She had worked for Mrs. Cartwright when she was the former Mrs. Lafferty and she was well familiar with her mistress' cleverness. Mr. Lafferty had been no match for his brilliant wife, often left wondering what had occurred right under his nose but Adam Cartwright, he saw right through her and yet he had still wanted her. But some men like a bit of danger in their lives—become addicted to it, Mrs. Fontaine decided. She called out for Amanda, a young girl of fifteen who served as a lady's maid and helped Mrs. Cartwright dress, bathe, and fix her hair on formal occasions. She was fair in looks, plump and of a most pleasing nature.

"Manda, fix up one of the trays with the coffee service. And here, put this plate of cookies on it as well." And Amanda, as agreeable as always, smiled and did as she was asked.

While waiting for her visitors, Mrs. Cartwright smoothed out her skirts. She was dressed in the newest fashion of more narrow skirts and the neckline of the dress was high and prim. She wore her shiny dark hair pulled back with only a few tendrils to cut the severity. Her face was pale and heart-shaped and her eyes were a light blue-gray. Her mouth, though soft, rarely curled into a smile. Despite the coldness of her normal expression, she was beautiful and all men were struck by it. Nevertheless it didn't keep any of them from referring to her as that cold, Cartwright bitch. They joked that Adam Cartwright probably had to thaw out his cock after he poked her lest it snap off like an icicle when he took his piss afterwards.

Ultima Cartwright turned and two men were ushered in by Mrs. Fontaine who immediately left. They glanced quickly around the room. They were familiar with parlors but they had heard that Mrs. Cartwright had high tastes and thought that she was back living in San Francisco and her "drawing room" was supposedly an impressive sight to see. The men now knew why.

The fireplace was fronted with pure white Yule marble from Colorado that also composed the mantle. Every day that the fireplace was in use, Mrs. Fontaine had to rise early, along with the cook and Amanda, and then rush to clean it to remove any soot or she would hear the mistress' displeasure with her work. So while Mao Lin prepared breakfast for Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright, Mrs. Fontaine would scrub the marble, dust, carpet sweep and make certain that all was to her mistress' liking—even down to the placement of the sofa cushions and the antimacassars.

So the two men were impressed by the upholstered furniture and the rich wallpaper and rugs. The dark maple furniture glowed in the spring morning sun as did their hostess. The men were as taken aback as much by Mrs. Cartwright's presence as when they had been told to court the wife to get to the husband; they hadn't expected someone so delicate and so small—so vulnerable. And then they saw the look in her eyes and Mr. Sawyer, the shorter of the two men felt a shiver run through him; he had seen cold-blooded killers look upon him more kindly.

"Allow me to introduce us," The taller man said. "I am Mr. Murray and this is Mr. Sawyer. We have come on behalf of Mr. Matt Forsyth and his interests."

"A pleasure," Ultima said, "but if you have business to discuss, I suggest that you drive out to the Croesus mine and speak to my husband."

The two men exchanged looks. Then Mr. Murray turned back to Ultima with a smile fixed on his face. "We had been informed, Mrs. Cartwright, that your opinion weighs heavily in your husband's decisions—he looks upon you as an advisor seeing that your former husband, may he rest in peace, left the mine in your name."

Ultima smiled sweetly at the two men. "Please," Ultima said, "Won't you sit?" She took a seat on the edge of the sofa, daring either of the men to sit next to her—neither had the courage so they sat uncomfortably on the upholstered chairs which had curved, carved arms and legs. Adam had said that the drawing room looked like the inside of an high-class whorehouse but Ultima just looked askance at his derisive comments and replied that perhaps one day he would inform her how he knew what one looked like. And Adam had grinned broadly and then laughed and pulled her onto his lap.

Amanda brought in a silver tray with a fine china coffee set on it and also a plate of cookies. She gave a small half-curtsy and then left.

"Coffee, gentlemen?" Ultima said holding the coffee pot that was decorated with flowers painted is soft pastels. She smiled at them graciously and the two men looked at one another.

"Yes, ma'am," The shorter one said. "Thank you very much. Business is always easier to discuss with an air of hospitality and the sharing of bread." He blushed as Ultima merely stared at him. "I mean that merely as a metaphor. I know that it is not actual bread with which…"

"Shut up," Murray said. "You sound like a fuckin' idiot." He quickly realized that he had cursed and apologetically added, "Please forgive me ma'am." Ultima nodded slightly. "I would be most grateful for a cup of coffee—black, ma'am, and a few of those cookies as well. Life needs a bit of sweetness." He was the better looking of the two and more muscular but Ultima noticed as he took his cup and saucer from her, that the cuffs of his shirt were begrimed. That told her what she needed to know.

"Before I forget, ma'am," the man said placing his cup and saucer gingerly on his knee and reaching inside his jacket, "I have a small token of Mr. Forsyth's admiration." He pulled out a small fabric-covered hinged box and handed it to her. Ultima noticed that his nails had ragged edges as if he chewed them down instead of clipping and the cuticles needed cleaning.

She opened the box and took a breath. Lying inside on a small satin pillow was a glowing gold nugget the size of a lima bean and as thick as the tip of a man's thumb. Ultima had enough experience with gold and gold mining that she didn't need to bite down on it to test its authenticity—it was gold. She snapped shut the box and placed it on the low table alongside the tray of china.

"I shall send Mr. Forsyth a note of appreciation for such a valuable gift but please convey my pleasure upon receiving it. Now, what was it you said about business?" And Ultima smiled gently while Mr. Murray nervously explained Mr. Forsyth's interest. Murray found that Mrs. Cartwright, despite being cool and distant, made him nervous and caused his mind to run to thoughts of fornication and how he would change that serene look on her face to one of excruciating pleasure—yeah, he thought, he'd have her squirming and screaming for more—he'd put her in her place—underneath him.

Ultima smiled, noticing the sweat that beaded on Mr. Murray's brow and upper lip. She was enjoying the meeting very much despite the fact that the more the man sweat, the more he stank. Ultima would have quite the story for her husband that night and he would show her his admiration and appreciation for her insight in ways she always found most delightful.


	2. Chapter 4

**2**

Ultima lay on her stomach, her chin propped on one arm while in the warm, dark room she lightly ran her fingers through Adam's chest hair. Her pale skin glowed like the moon. Then, as Adam sighed in contentment at her attentions, she lightly ran one finger around a nipple and then pinched it; he made a slight move but kept his eyes closed. Her husband's chest hair was so dense that Ultima once referred to him as a wolf that she longed to have devour her. Adam had warned her that he could be ravenous and that she may regret his voracious attentions once having invited them.

"So, Mrs. Cartwright," Adam said as he lay sated from their lovemaking, "As I understand it, if my mind is still clear after having enjoyed you, Forsyth sent his henchmen to broach the subject of our selling him some of our shares in the mine. You are supposed to convince me. Is that the reason for such an exuberant bounce tonight?"

"Now, husband, you know me better than that. I don't need to be bribed." Ultima moved over him and Adam opened his dark eyes to look into hers. She pushed her hair behind one ear, letting the other side fall like a curtain around them and kissed him softly. "But for some reason, people believe that I can make you do my bidding."

"Now what would make them think that? Just because you have the sweetest snatch I've ever met?" He grinned up at her and she laughed softly. He sat up and kissed her again. "That gold nugget is quite the bribe, though."

Adam gently pushed his wife onto her back and stood up. Ultima stretched and then yawning, she pulled the sheets up to her neck rolling over onto her side to watch Adam put on his robe. He whispered goodnight and then left her alone, closing the door behind him and walked barefooted to his room. He was tired and wanted to sleep but as much as he tried to make himself comfortable in his own bed, the talk with his wife kept him awake. Adam didn't trust Matthew Forsyth or the fact that he had sent the nugget to Ultima; it worried him. For one, what made Forsyth think that Ultima could be convinced in any way to do his bidding?

The other mining investors treated Mrs. Ultima Lafferty Cartwright with utmost respect; they had no choice. Although she may have been a silent partner in the Croesus mine with her first husband, Adam Cartwright made it obvious that she was a viable majority holder with more voting shares than the other minor shareholders. Ultima was present at all the business meetings and the dinners, sitting silently beside her husband, cool and unapproachable, her gloved hand often resting on his arm. Adam wanted Ultima there as he trusted her judgment and her observations—he recognized her shrewd mind and understood why Thomas Lafferty had confided all business matters in her.

But Adam also enjoyed seeing the other men at the business meetings or the elegant, expensive dinners given in Virginia City and San Francisco and Sacramento sweat a bit as they gazed upon Ultima's white bosom and her elegant arms as the jeweled bracelets glistened against her long, white gloves. They spoke among themselves about Cartwright's intention to distract them from business with his seductive wife with the blue-gray eyes and the kittenish face and the low-cut bodice. They could think of nothing else but wonder what kind of bed partner she would be.

And afterwards, Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright would discuss what had passed as they lay in the dark, completely open to one another and Adam would listen to Ultima's summations and observations and then he would ask her opinion. And he always weighed what she said; she was a good partner for him, he had decided long ago.

But the events of today were a first; no one had first approached Ultima before, tried to get to him through her unless she had not been open with him in the past but he doubted that. Ultima was clever but up to that point, she had never been devious. So Adam was kept awake considering whether or not Ultima could be bribed to betray him. If anyone could convince her to do so, it would be Forsyth. True, Adam thought, they had laughed over the gold nugget and she had even playfully threatened to slide it up him so he could toss it out with the other excrement in the morning. But Adam knew that his wife was well aware that the shiny piece of ore was valuable, far too valuable for any man to give it away without expecting something in return. Therefore, Adam had ordered her to return the nugget in the morning and if she chose to blame him for its return in the accompanying note of regret, all the better. He also told her to deny Forsyth's men access to her if they visited again—even to Forsyth should he choose to visit. Ultima had pouted slightly and said that she had hoped to have it put on a chain to wear around her neck and she placed it between her bare breasts as she lay on her back.

"Wouldn't it look lovely?" she had asked him. The piece did glow in the light cast about the room by the flames dancing in the fireplace; the evenings were still cool and Ultima preferred heat despite her icy demeanor. Looking at the nugget, Adam well-understood how men had been driven mad with gold lust—the tantalizing color and the promise that lay within its possession-just as he was always driven a bit mad with his lust for Ultima and what was promised by possessing her.

"A piece of cow shit would look delectable between your luscious tits," he had said grinning, "but I don't recommend you wear one."

"Oh, you," she had said and petulantly threw the gold nugget at him. It hit his shoulder and bounced off and Adam roughly pulled her to him.

"Be careful, my dear," he had said deep in his throat, "I don't suffer open aggression. I will put down any insurrection quickly and completely." And to make his point, he stopped her response with his mouth on hers and she moaned in surrender.


	3. Chapter 5

**3**

Theirs had not been a love match.

Adam was familiar with Mrs. Lafferty as both he and Mr. Lafferty were the major stockholders in the Croesus mine. Ben Cartwright had reluctantly given his blessing to Adam buying so many shares and had to later admit that it had been a wise move; the mine seemed to expose more veins of gold every week and Adam's personal wealth soon exceeded both his brothers' and nearly his father's. When he would receive his full share of the Ponderosa, Adam Cartwright would be the wealthiest man in Nevada and more than likely, the surrounding states, especially since he was considering investing more in the Pacific Railroad.

As a majority shareholder in the mine, Adam was often in San Francisco to meet with Thomas Lafferty. And Lafferty, although he lived in California, often visited the mine for an on-site evaluation and to see the machinery bought with his investment and from where the profits were coming. But Adam liked his visits to San Francisco as he enjoyed the city and he most enjoyed being entertained by Lafferty in his grand home because his wife, Ultima Lafferty would greet him, composed and serene and yet Adam noticed the glow in her eyes that were the color of the sky on a snowy day, whenever she saw him. He also noticed the slight flush of her cheeks.

The Lafferty home had been decorated, according to Thomas, to his wife's taste. Adam admitted that her tastes were grand indeed and knew that Thomas Lafferty had spent a great deal of money to please his young wife. Adam deduced that Ultima must be at least thirty years younger than her husband and yet she appeared deferential to him; if she had married him just for his wealth, it wasn't obvious. Nor was it obvious if she loved him a great deal as she was always cool and distant. The husband and wife addressed each other as Mr. and Mrs. Lafferty, not by pet names or even first names. Adam wondered and once remarked to Hoss that he speculated if, when the couple rolled in the sheets, Ultima called out "Oh, Mr. Lafferty! Yes! Yes!" in the throes of sexual ecstasy and Hoss guffawed at the image while Adam chuckled.

Ultima was always polite to Adam, always gracious and yet he would upon occasion catch her unawares and see her staring at him with her blue-gray eyes. She would quickly look elsewhere as if embarrassed at being caught expressing any interest in him but not before he would smile knowingly and nod in acknowledgement. She would smooth her skirts, touch her hair and adjust her position on the chair, obviously uncomfortable.

It didn't take long for Adam to realize who had the business acumen in the Lafferty marriage. Thomas would ask certain questions and upon occasion, Mrs. Lafferty would clarify for Adam and then defer again to her husband. But Adam always included Ultima in his answer, glancing at her and often speaking directly to her and he could see that unlike her husband who often look nonplussed, Ultima understood the complexities of the mining business. Whenever Adam asked Lafferty for his votes on any matter, Lafferty would clear his throat and slightly stammer and then, after looking at Ultima to see if she nodded or slightly shook her head no, he would answer. But Adam noticed that if Ultima put her hand to her throat, that Thomas Lafferty would say that he would have to consider and get back to Adam.

"Quite all right," Adam would always reply and then look directly at Mrs. Lafferty who would coldly stare back. But Adam would only grin more broadly; she was well aware that Adam was on to their game.

And then Thomas Lafferty died. Quite quickly and quite unexpectedly. He was eating dinner and complained of indigestion, commented facetiously that he might have to fire their cook, rose to leave the table and dropped down dead. They said that Mrs. Lafferty was quite put out by the matter of her husband's apoplexy and the next day she sent a wire to Adam Cartwright at the Ponderosa in Virginia City informing him of her husband's passing and asking Adam if they could meet to discuss their mutual interests in the Croesus mine. She was not one to be overcome by emotions, Adam surmised.

Adam read the telegram out loud to his family at dinner and Ben Cartwright was outraged.

"Only one day after her husband dies, that cold-hearted bitch is thinking only of business!"

Joe and Hoss looked at one another because it was not like their father to curse at the table nor to say anything degrading about a female. Adam laughed heartily.

"Come on, Pa," Adam said, grinning, "a young widow has to look out for interests. And I do want to see her again. She's a fascinating woman, Pa. You ought to keep an open mind."

"Yeah," Hoss said. "But you, Adam, you're just thinking of her open legs."

Joe, and Adam enjoyed the remark and laughed along with Hoss while their father scowled.

"That's enough. Any more talk of Ultima Lafferty and my appetite will be completely ruined."

Therefore, when Adam brought home Ultima Lafferty as his bride, Ben Cartwright was appalled. Adam behaved though as if the marriage was a normal affair—to be expected-and the couple stayed at the Ponderosa while Adam built a house according to his new wife's taste which was surprisingly good. Even Ben had to begrudgingly admit that the design of the house was beautiful and when the fine marble and paneling arrived along with the cypress slats for the inside of the closets, Ben ran his hand over the pieces and admitted to their superior quality although he was appalled at the cost.

Ultima kept to herself during her stay at the Ponderosa but yet was friendly, albeit not warm, to Adam's family. Hop Sing sought to please her with dishes and when she complimented him on a dish, he beamed. And Hoss and Joe couldn't take their eyes from their lovely sister-in-law.

"What you think?" Hoss said one afternoon to Joe a few days after Ultima had arrived. They were repairing fence and Hoss was unwinding the barbed wire from its spool. "You think that Ultima is a good wife for Adam?"

"A little late for that, isn't it?" Joe said, working the loop of barbed wire around a post. "You can't tell with Adam. I mean look at the different women he _almost_ married—none of them were alike."

"I guess so. But they don't even sleep in the same room at night. You think they…you know?" For some reason, Hoss found it difficult to talk about his new sister-in-law and sex; she appeared so emotionally distant to him that as much as he tried, he just couldn't visualize Ultima spreading her legs and welcoming his older brother.

Joe laughed. "Trust me, Hoss. My room is next to hers and if that's not Adam in there riding her and making her yelp and groan, then she's diddling herself. She's a loud one and I tell you, she seems to like it."

"No shit?" Hoss said. He stood open-mouthed. "How often?"

"So far, every night. I'll be damned if I can get to sleep before midnight. Now hand me those wire snips."


	4. Chapter 6

**4**

Adam's marriage was a matter of business.

Within three days of the telegram, Adam was in San Francisco, freshly shaved, bathed, dressed like the wealthy, educated gentleman he was, and in the drawing room of the beautiful Widow Lafferty.

As always, Adam first admired Mrs. Lafferty. Even in her mourning clothes, her only ornament a jet brooch carved into a love knot and framed in silver placed on her high neckline, he was taken aback by how lovely she was. Then Adam admired her drawing room. Above the fireplace was a large landscape in a gilt frame and on the mantle was a porcelain clock under a bell jar that to Adam's trained eye looked to be from the time of Louis XIV. There were pieces of art about the room and the furniture was expensive and ornate. It had the touch of a woman who valued expensive possessions and it gave Adam an insight into Ultima Lafferty; it let him know she had a price.

"My sincere condolences on your loss," Adam said. "I was fond of your husband. He was an honorable man and I shall miss him. If the funeral has not yet taken place…"

"Thank you, Mr. Cartwright," she interrupted. "The funeral was yesterday."

Adam suppressed a grin; she was efficient if nothing else; He turned as a uniformed maid pushed in a tea cart with a large china coffeepot and the accompanying pieces. The second shelf held tea sandwiches and cookies. Adam's mind turned to Hamlet; "Thrift, Thrift, Horatio! The funeral baked meats did coldly furnish forth the marriage table." Adam wondered if the food was left over from the reception after the funeral yesterday.

"Please, sit down, Mr. Cartwright." Ultima seemed to barely acknowledge him with glance.

Adam continued to stand. Ultima was pacing in front of the fireplace and wrung her small white hands; she didn't seem to remember that etiquette required she sit before he could do so. She turned to face him, her brows slightly furrowed as if wondering why he didn't comply with her request.

"Please. Won't you join me?" Adam moved his arm as if he was the host bidding her to sit and for the first time since he had met Mrs. Ultima Lafferty, she seemed confused. Then she made an effort to compose herself and smoothed out her skirts and that action seemed to smooth her brow as well and she smiled slightly. Adam again considered how delicately lovely she was.

"Yes, of course." She sat on the end of the sofa by the tea cart and then Adam sat down. "Coffee?"

Adam accepted and Ultima poured and handed the cup and saucer to him along with a napkin. He sipped his coffee and waited for her to broach the matter about which she had wired him. It was an awkward silence.

Suddenly she was aware that Adam was closely watching her—waiting. "Would you care for something to eat? You haven't said whether you have eaten today as I'm certain, due to the haste with which you seemed to arrive, that you may have bypassed lunch. Oh, and I want to extend my appreciation and gratitude for you arriving posthaste.

"Mr. Cartwright, I will get straight to the point; you and I are now the majority holders in the Croesus mine. If we reach an agreement on how the mine should be managed, we can control how much gold should be produced and therefore control the price of the gold. We can also be in control of all aspects of the mine down to the source of the timber used for the shoring—Ponderosa timber, of course. Although I am only a woman, I learned much from Mr. Lafferty about the mining business and financial matters in general. I was always interested in his opinions on matters and his plethora of knowledge was always most helpful to me in understanding the daily workings of the mining industry." Ultima waited and Adam noticed that she was twisting one of the fine linen napkin in her hands; it belied her otherwise calm demeanor.

Adam gave a deep laugh and Ultima was taken by surprise.

"Mrs. Lafferty, in the time I've known you and your husband, all the major business decisions were made by you—not your husband." Ultima began to protest but Adam raised his hand. "I'm not a fool…it didn't take long to know that your husband relied on your business acumen; you have a sharp mind and a shrewd one. Don't take affront—I find that a charming character trait in a woman; it leads to so many interesting things." Adam raised his brows and Ultima pulled herself up straighter as she perched on the edge of her expensive sofa, her chin lifted in defiance.

"You want to form an alliance with me because you can't attend the business conferences yourself—none of the men will listen to you seriously no matter how practical and logical your arguments are. All they will be considering is what it would be like to have you underneath them and to make the bed sing; I'm no different in that respect."

Ultima stood, making a show of proper offense taken, but Adam only made himself more comfortable in the wingchair. "Please sit down, Mrs. Lafferty. You've always appreciated honesty in the past and I have a proposal of my own. Now if you would like to hear it before you feign insult and throw me out…"

Adam had to grin at how Ultima's expression changed to one of curiosity and she sat down again and sedately folded her hands on her knees. Adam placed aside his cup and saucer, leaned forward with his hands clasped and watched her closely.

"You need me; I can make you a wealthy, or should I say, wealthier woman. There's nothing wrong with wanting the comfort of money but it has to be tempered with prudence. I could use a wife. I should have taken one by now but so far, I haven't found a woman with whom I care to take a life-long vow; I am easily bored with 'sweetness and light', so to speak. But I find you…acceptable." Adam paused to assess Ultima's reaction to his words. He had chosen "acceptable" as he didn't want to play his hand yet; if Ultima knew that she made his pulse race and caused him to heat up with desire, she would realize the power she could wield and he couldn't have that. But she was still listening and he knew that her cunning mind was calculating her advantages to his proposal. "Therefore, I'm asking you to be my wife. I know that you will face censure but that really shouldn't matter to you—and I will face it as your partner in all things; you are wealthy and will be wealthier and after all, people will accept quite a bit from someone who has more money than they—and more power. I await your answer." Adam sat back and waited.

Ultima stood but Adam continued sitting and he watched her as she paced slowly. To him, she moved with the grace and elegance of the tall grasses when the wind blew through them making the blades sway and flow in a rippling undulation; it made him think of how pleasant it would be when she rode him. Then Ultima turned to face him.

"Very well, Mr. Cartwright. I do think that we could have an agreeable marriage. I assume that I would have to move with you to Nevada?" She made the statement a question.

"Yes. As you know, I have cattle and timber interests as well as the mine. Perhaps you would like to learn about them as well. After all, who knows when I might meet with a terrible accident and you would be a widow for a second time." He watched as the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. Adam stood up and straightened his jacket, buttoning it at the waist and walked toward her. "Now, I think we should marry tomorrow. I will be here at noon to fetch you after I have taken care of the official necessities."

"Very well. I'll be ready."

Adam looked down at her and he slid an arm about her waist and pulled her to him. He noticed her breathing stepped up. "Men shake hands but I prefer to seal our agreement another way." He leaned down and kissed her and was slightly surprised to feel her mouth yield to him and her stance soften in his arms. He wrapped both arms around her then and she twined her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him. Oh, Adam thought, she is a clever woman; she wants to leave me with the promise of her body so that I won't think better and change my mind.

He stopped the kiss, held her arms and pushed her slightly away. And as she watched open-mouthed, he picked up his hat and grinned at her.

"Tomorrow at noon." Then he gave a mock bow. "I'll let myself out." And once his back was turned, he grinned broadly. Adam wasn't certain that he had made the best deal for himself by choosing the Widow Lafferty as his wife but at least things wouldn't be boring. And he sighed with satisfaction thinking about having her in his bed for many years to come.


	5. Chapter 7

**5**

Amanda, flushed with the importance of her task, went out into the backyard of the house to find Mrs. Cartwright. The space before the trees started again, the lake a few hundred yards beyond, contained the closest reproduction of a flower garden that Adam could create for his wife. It had a winding paved path through banks of flowers and climbing roses—any flower that would grow in Nevada's climate and Adam had left some trees standing in critical places with benches underneath them. The Chinese gardener, Mao Ho, the cook's husband, tended the flowers and had to fetch water from a nearby well to keep the blooms from wilting or dying. Mao Ho worked from morning until dusk, pulling up seedlings from the encroaching trees, removing dead blossoms and keeping weeds from between the pavers. He also clipped the grass with a pair of sheers. Adam sardonically referred to Ultima's garden as "The Garden of Earthly Delights," in reference to the 16th century triptych by Hieronymus Bosch, the center panel depicting nude figures engaged in sensual and amorous activities. But Ultima, by now used to her husband's remarks on her elaborate tastes, refused to display irritation at his teasing and enjoyed sitting among the flowers which Adam had said faded next to her beauty; she was never sure if that remark was sincere. Ultima would take a book of poetry or the newest novel and sit on one of the backed benches and read while the birds sang in the tress and the bees and butterflies moved among the greenery. The activity gave her peace.

"What is it?' Ultima asked as Amanda hurried to reach her. She handed Ultima a business card. It was Mr. Forsyth's calling card. She looked up at the eager young girl. "Have him wait for me in the drawing room. Provide coffee or tea—whatever he likes and also some of that sponge cake. Tell him that I will be there shortly."

"He's very handsome, ma'am." Amanda suddenly realized that what she had said might be construed as disloyalty to her employer so she quickly added, "Not as handsome as the Mister—this man's different—fair-haired and taller."

Ultima smiled to herself. She knew that Adam terrified Amanda even though he barely acknowledged her presence in the house, but the girl's fear stemmed from the fact that one sunny, weekday afternoon Amanda, humming, her arms full of Mrs. Cartwright's freshly laundered lingerie, opened the bedroom door; she was going to put the items in the bureau as she had been told but she was not prepared for what she saw. Amanda dropped the pieces of lace and silk, gasped and clasped her hands over her mouth—frozen in fear; the Mister was heartily enjoying his wife. Amanda knew what men and women did but she had never imagined that it could look like an act of violence, a twisting and thrusting of bodies with arms and legs wrapped about one another and all to the sound of grunts and moans. And then the Mister looked over his shoulder at her and emphatically told her to stop gaping, to get the hell out and shut the door. And the next time, knock. After that, Amanda avoided the Mister at all costs, he had looked so fearsome in the all and all and also because she secretly wished that it was she underneath him on the bed and that he was delving between her thighs instead of those of the beautiful Mistress.

"Thank you, Mandy. Now go and tell Mr. Forsyth, please."

Amanda rushed to do her mistress' bidding, only too happy to speak to the handsome man in the drawing room while Ultima closed her book and considered the situation. She wished Adam was there. It was happening more and more, the desire to have him near.

The first time that Ultima found herself wanting Adam's presence, she was surprised by it. The house was almost completely finished at the time, just the porch railing and some paneling needed to be completed, some areas painted, the dining room papering, and some of the furniture had yet to arrive from the house in San Francisco. Together, they had decided to close down the house in San Francisco and keep a partial staff so that it could quickly be opened and aired out when they visited the city. But this time Adam had traveled to Philadelphia to meet with some railroad men. Adam had asked Ultima to go with him but Ultima had elected to remain behind and wait for the furniture to arrive.

She had been asleep and woke in the middle of the night, sitting up in her bed. Her room's wallpaper had a floral print and the bed was soft with a down-filled mattress and feathery pillows. Adam had complained that he was afraid one day they would both become lost in the damnable, soft thing as they tussled together. But Ultima knew that nothing would keep him from coming to her at night. She slept in fine linen sheets and the furniture was highly polished, one piece being a delicate, carved vanity. Except for the winter months, Ultima demanded that her housekeeper always keep fresh flowers in her room. Adam scoffed at her tastes, keeping his own bedroom almost stark by comparison. Ultima had stated that it was like a monk's room—a minimum of furniture and an uncomfortable bed. Adam just laughed and said that he found comforts enough when he visited her nights—and she could attest that he was no monk.

That night Ultima could have sworn that she heard a specific sound that woke her—Adam calling out her name and her heart rose; Adam was home. She put on her robe and went out to the silent hall and listened but heard nothing. Lighting the lamp she cautiously went downstairs but there was no one; Mrs. Fontaine and Amanda slept in a set of rooms off the kitchen but they weren't up—all was silent. Adam wasn't home and Ultima suddenly felt a loss. She hadn't been aware until that moment that she had been longing to see him return. She had turned and gone back upstairs but stopped first at Adam's door, opened it and holding the lamp up higher to see, she looked about the room. Everything was as neat and as fastidious as he was in his person. But then he only slept and dressed in the room; his den was where he did most of his work—that and his office at the mine site. Ultima placed the lamp on top of the bureau and sat down on his bed. Then, on a whim, she pulled off her gown over her head and stood naked in his room, feeling a bit wanton. With one hand she pulled down the sheets and crawled between them. They were newly-washed and carried none of his scent, the warm odor of his skin, they musky smell of his loins but she smiled to herself as she nestled down in his sheets. Perhaps when he returned, he would sense that she had lain in his bed; he might smell her skin and his desire for her would again be roused. And she fell asleep as if lying in his arms.

But now she wished Adam were home to deal with Mr. Forsyth but she knew she would have to do so alone since Adam was out with his brothers helping castrate male calves. Ultima had told Adam just that morning that he shouldn't work as if he was a common cowboy—he was better than that. But Adam had just chuckled and asked her how she felt being married to a man who sliced off testicles; he did with a sharp knife what she had been trying to do to him with her tongue since they had married—the comment was not only a teasing insult but a reference to what she would do for him with her mouth and tongue when he asked. Ultima had remarked that perhaps she should use a knife and have it done and over; it was far more efficient. And Adam had deeply laughed and pulled her to him and kissed her goodbye for the day. But before he released her, he reached down and cupped the mound between her legs. "Would you really want me to have nothing to drive me to desire you? How lonely you would get." And Ultima put up her face to have him kiss her again but he released her and putting on his Stetson, left for the day.

Sitting on the bench, Ultima composed herself and then, having considered that she had left Mr. Forsyth waiting just long enough to emphasize how unimportant he was to her and Adam, she went into her house to greet the visitor.

TBC


	6. Chapter 8

**6**

"I was distraught when the gift I had sent as a sign of my admiration was returned," Mr. Forsyth said as he placed his coffee cup back on its saucer. "Mr. Murray, unless his conveyance of information was in error, caused me to believe that you had been pleased. But perhaps you had been offended; Misters Murray and Sawyer are not the most perceptive of men. But it wasn't my intent to offend although perhaps it was injudicious of me to have sent the small token to a married woman. I do hope that Mr. Cartwright wasn't angered or made jealous by my open admiration of you, Mrs. Cartwright."

Amanda had been correct, Ultima thought; Matthew Forsyth was handsome—thick blonde hair, bright blue eyes and classic features. He was tall as well—as tall as Hoss. She decided that Forsyth and Adam were about the same age—in their forties but Forsyth didn't have the effects of weather and hard work on him. And his fine clothes were immaculate as were his fingernails.

"Of course not, Mr. Forsyth," she offered. "My husband did not want to have the perception of any impropriety since you are both in the mining business." Ultima noticed that after the first sip, Mr. Forsyth didn't seem to care for the coffee. "Is there something wrong with the coffee, Mr. Forsyth? Perhaps more cream?"

"No, although you are kind to notice that it's not to my taste." He smiled blandly and Ultima became nervous. She didn't see the desire in his gaze that she usually saw when a man looked at her, especially one as attractive as Matthew Forsyth.

"Perhaps a splash of whiskey? My husband keeps some fine Kentucky bourbon."

He smiled in gratitude. "Why thank you. That would be most appealing. Actually, if you have no objection, I would prefer the whiskey without the coffee."

Ultima rose and opened a cabinet, taking out a bottle and a small glass. "Please," she said, "pour the amount you would like. I am not overly familiar with spirits." She handed the bottle to Forsyth who thanked her and then filled the glass half full.

He sighed as the golden liquid lay on his tongue and then warmed him as he swallowed. "That's fine whiskey. You husband has good taste…in all matters." He raised the glass to Ultima and she caught for the first time a glint of desire in his eyes. Now she was back in familiar territory.

"My husband tells me that you are a part owner of the Empire Mine in California."

"Yes," he said and smiled. He was determined to make her ask what she wanted to know; he would volunteer nothing.

Ultima waited. She then realized that Forsyth was toying with her and decided to go ahead and state her mind. "It seems to me that since you and Mr. Cartwright became acquainted a few years ago, that you would meet with him and reveal your interest in purchasing stock. I don't understand why you are visiting me-and why you sent the two…gentlemen to visit the other day. My husband is befuddled as well."

Forsyth chuckled and Ultima sat up taller. There was something in his laugh that set her on edge.

"I doubt that Adam Cartwright is befuddled by anything…except perhaps by you."

"Is it your intent to insult me?"

"No. Not at all." He poured himself another drink and Ultima noted that he didn't ask her permission. She began to feel nervous; she wasn't certain she could control him. "Your husband is no fool, Mrs. Cartwright, and neither are you. I have heard that you are usually at the shareholder meetings and business dinners—usually the only woman. That is either because your husband doesn't trust leaving you alone or he wants your opinion afterwards; I think it's the latter although it wouldn't surprise me if you had a lover. Now, I want you, Mrs. Cartwrigth, to convince your husband—however you choose to do it—to sell me some of the shares since you are, as I understand from my source, joint owners of the shares. I will make it worthwhile as I will pay twice their value. And for you, Mrs. Cartwright, I will make you a gift of ten more nuggets, each one as large as or larger than the one I had already offered. You can secret them away and know that part of your wealth lies hidden from your husband."

Ultima stood up. Even though he frightened her, she was determined that Mr. Forsyth wouldn't know.

"I think that you had best leave now, Mr. Forsyth. I will relay your request to my husband but I'm certain—as you already know—that he will ask my opinion on the matter and I will recommend that he not sell to you. I'm sure that he would find your behavior most inappropriate."

Forsyth stood up and approached Ultima. He loomed over her.

"Don't be a damned fool, Mrs. Cartwright. All I ask is that you use that delectable body of yours to influence your husband; all men can be swayed through the delights of a good bout of fornication. And your husband is not one to school me on matters of 'appropriateness'. You were a widow less than a week before he married you and from what I heard, most enthusiastically bedded you." He smiled at Ultima's look of outrage. "I have found that dismissed domestic staff is most willing to talk about their former employer." He smiled down at her and moved closer but Ultima was determined to stand her ground despite the fear that gripped her. She reminded herself that she was Mrs. Adam Cartwright and need not fear any man. She looked up at him, her mouth firm. She could smell the whiskey on his breath. "I would suggest," Forsyth said in a low, threatening voice, "that you do as I ask or you may regret it."

He smiled again and then turned and walked away to pick up his hat where he had left it. Ultima watched him, her mind racing.

Forsyth turned again and looked at her, holding her determined gaze. "It has been a pleasure," he said and walked out of the drawing room and into the foyer. She took a shaky breath. She was angry at herself for allowing Forsyth to upset her. Adam had told her not to see Forsyth should he visit but she was certain that he could be easily won over but then, perhaps Forsyth's desire for money overshadowed his carnal desire and her attraction to men was her greatest weapon. She now knew that Forsyth was formidable and his threat stayed with her; she would play the scene over and over all afternoon, trying to discern just how matters came to such a stress point.

Amanda was waiting in the hall in the hopes of seeing the handsome Mr. Forsyth leave and now she fetched his hat, walking stick and gloves that he had left with her when he entered. She shyly handed them to him.

"Quite the pretty one, aren't you?" Forsyth said to her and Amanda blushed.

"Thank you, sir," she replied with a slight curtsy.

"Quite the pretty one, indeed." Forsyth looked at her appraisingly, then reached down and pinched one of her full breasts. Amanda's mouth dropped open and Forsyth chuckled, opened the door and walked out. Amanda rubbed her breast where the cruel pinch had stung not knowing what to think. Then she smiled gently to herself. He had said she was pretty and that was just after he had left the Missus who everyone thought was beautiful. Well, Amanda thought, he thinks I'm pretty, maybe even prettier than Mrs. Cartwright. And Amanda hoped Mr. Forsyth would visit again.


	7. Chapter 9

**7**

"Ultima, I'm home," Adam called out as he took off his gun belt and placed it next to his hat and work gloves on the long, elegant table in the foyer. A large gilt-edged mirror was above it and a vase of roses sat in the middle of the table. He had been reprimanded many times by Ultima for leaving all his belongings there but Adam always just smiled and did so anyway.

Mrs. Fontaine came rushing out. "Mrs. Cartwright asked that as soon as you get home…" She didn't finish because Ultima walked into the area.

Ultima made a sound of frustration. "Adam," she said and then looked at him. "I have asked you before not to wear your boots into the house. That's an expensive Chinese rug and I've also asked…oh, Adam. What am I going to do with you?"

He pulled her to him with an arm around her waist. "Anything you want, wife." And grinning at her annoyance, he leaned down, bending her over slightly and kissed her, letting his lips run down to the exposed part of her neck. Mrs. Fontaine quietly left. She didn't want to be around to see if Mister Cartwright would sit his wife on the table, pull up her skirts and take his homecoming welcome that way.

Now," he said quietly, "why the furrowed brow? It's not the boots. What is it?" He put his arm around his wife and guided her into the drawing room. They sat on the sofa as if they were a young couple fresh into courting. Adam held both her hands in his, ready to listen.

"Mr. Forsyth stopped by today." Adam started to speak. "I know, I know. You told me not to accept him but I…well, I thought that if I could handle you, I could handle anyone but I overestimated myself—or underestimated you. He upset me."

"What did he say? Or was it something he did?"

Ultima pulled her hands away and stood up, her back to Adam as he watched her. Suddenly Ultima wasn't sure exactly how much she should tell her husband. Adam was usually logical in his dealings, at least from what she had observed, but then she had once seen the aftereffects of his losing his temper and it had frightened her; he had remained in a dark mood for days afterward. She remembered that her childhood tutor had once told her that "still waters run deep." That was Adam; so much was below the surface. Ultima was always aware that they hadn't married for love but they had grown to be fond of one another and Adam did indulge her; she had only to ask and it was given to her. But yet she always sensed that he had a dangerous side and then she knew he did after she had finally found out most of what had happened.

Ultima still vividly remembered the incident when Adam had come home late one night, blood splattered on his clothing and with a bruised and swollen cheek and eye and spilt knuckles that had been closed and bandaged by the doctor in town. Adam had refused her sympathy and solicitations and didn't even say anything to Hoss who had ridden home with him; he just went into his den and shut the door. Ultima heard the key turn in the lock.

"What happened, Hoss?" She stood before him in her dressing gown and Hoss had a worried look on his face.

"Oh, Adam got into a fight with some sonofabitch…excuse me, Ultima. I just…it's been…" Hoss blushed. Of all the Cartwright brothers, Hoss was the only one who was as polite toward women as their father, watching what he said and always being gallant. His slip into raw language only showed how upset he was.

"It's all right, Hoss. Just tell me. Please." She looked at Hoss' face and noticed that he avoided her eyes, preferring to stare at the pine slats in the flooring instead.

"Believe it or not, Adam won the fight." Then Hoss looked at her and smiled. "The other guy looks worse, a heckuva lot worse. But you know how Adam is. Iffen I tell you about it, he'll be sore I done so since it's his business. He'll tell you himself what happened if he wants you to know."

And after Hoss left, Ultima debated whether or not she should go to the locked door and knock. She decided against it and climbed the stairs to her room. She didn't understand her husband at all but even if Hoss had told what had incited the fight between her husband and another man, she still wouldn't have understood; it was a matter of masculine power and of honor.

The evening had started pleasantly enough; Hoss and Adam had been out on the property all day marking trees for cutting to fulfill the contract with the railroad and instead of going to their homes, they rode into Virginia City to have a "coupla cold beers," as Hoss put it, at The Silver Dollar saloon.

Adam and Hoss sat at one of the round tables in the front by the bar talking and laughing, exchanging greetings to the many others who all said that they hadn't seen Adam in a while, and enjoying their mugs of beer. Hoss and Adam then went going over the events of the day and discussed how the Pacific Railroad was expanding.

"I'm telling you, Hoss, take some of that money you've managed to stash away and invest it. I guarantee that railroad stock is going to go sky-high."

"Tell you the truth, Adam, right now I'd rather take all my money and invest it in a good steak with fried potatoes, a few more rounds of beer and a broad-hipped woman with welcoming thighs. I'd love to pillow my head on some woman's soft breasts and enjoy them. Damn, I'm making myself uncomfortable just talking about it."

Adam laughed. "You need to find yourself a wife. I tell you…" and Adam's face took on a tender aspect that Hoss noticed, "I wasn't sure about marrying Ultima but now that I did, well…" Then Adam took on a more sardonic expression. "Hell, I'm not drunk enough yet to get maudlin over my wife." He took a long draught of his beer.

"To Ultima," Hoss said, raising his mug, "And all other women with welcoming thighs!"

"To Ultima," Adam said, grinning and then took another swallow.

Other ranch hands from the surrounding properties began to stream in as it was dusk and their workday was through. The place became noisier and more saloon maids came down from upstairs, the short skirts showing off their legs and their low-cut dresses with spangles and sparkles attracting attention. Some had feathers and other ornaments in their hair and all wore earrings that swayed and attracted the light.

Hoss and Adam along with the others looked up as the bartender, Harley, shouted. "Damn you, Rollo! I've told you before—if you gotta take a goddamn piss, go out back. Those spittoons are for tobacco spittin', not for you to stink up my fuckin' saloon with your horse piss smell!"

Adam chuckled and Hoss grinned and shook his head. Rollo worked for Farley Maxwell, another rancher who had a smaller herd than the Cartwrights. There was bad blood between Maxwell and the Cartwrights—mainly Adam—because Adam refused to return the mavericks that had wandered onto the Ponderosa. Ben had suggested that in order to keep peace, Adam should return them and not brand them as he planned. But Adam had stated that Maxwell knew that any unbranded cattle that wandered onto another rancher's property was his to claim.

"Maybe it'll teach Farley to keep his fences repaired and to brand earlier in the year. I'm having them culled and branded tomorrow—Farley Maxwell be damned." But Ben worried; he knew that Adam was stubborn and that Maxwell was as well; there would be a bigger conflict than there had already been.

Rollo was a mean, huge Maxwell ranch hand who had been in the confrontation with Adam over the mavericks a few days earlier. Rollo did just about anything he wanted because no one dared to stop him even though he wore no gun. But he did have a curved-blade hunting knife with a horn handle and he had been known to do serious damage, once carving his initials in a man's chest while the man screamed in agony. In the saloons, his tendency was to drink more beers than anyone else could possibly hold and when his bladder was full, to unbutton his pants, pull out his penis and urinate in one of the spittoons; it was a joke among the patrons and even the saloon girls laughed at it but Harley, the barkeep, was outraged. And yet he was helpless to change Rollo's behavior. He feared the man as did everyone else.

Adam reclined in his chair, resting on its back two legs and was enjoying the atmosphere when one of the women stopped by their table.

"Well, Adam," she said. "I haven't seen you in here but once since you married. She keepin' you locked up or keepin' you happy?"

Adam just grinned. "Well, Lil, I must say that you look as lovely as usual."

Lil leaned over Adam's chair allowing him to stare down her full cleavage. "I've been keepin' myself nice for you. Want a little company?"

But before Adam could answer, Rollo's booming voice rang out and silenced all the noise, all the idle chatter and laughing. Even the poker players stopped and silence fell. Everyone was waiting.

"You wouldn't want him, Lil. Come over here if you want a man. Adam's got his balls cut off by that cold, rich cunt he married. He ain't nothing but a worthless sonofabitch who can't get his cock hard anymore and has to steal another man's cattle to prove to 'imself that he's still a fuckin' man—which he ain't. I'll bet that wife of his has to ride the fence posts to get a hard pole stuck up her! Bet that's why the lines are down between our properties, huh, Cartwright? Your wife been fuckin' those fence posts so hard they fall over?"

And Hoss sighed and his head and shoulders dropped in resignation. He knew that trouble was coming.


	8. Chapter 10

**8**

The whole saloon seemed to be holding a breath in anticipation. Adam dropped his chair down to all four legs and pushed it away from the table, scraping the floor. Hoss' hand shot out and grabbed Adam's wrist.

"Don't, Adam," Hoss said in a low voice." Rollo's just tryin' to provoke you."

"He's accomplished his task. I have to do something about him. I have to shut his mouth permanently and anyone else's who may be thinking of joining in."

"He'll kill you, Adam. Hell, I don't even mess with that mean sonofabitch. He's got thirty pounds on me and almost a head taller. Let's just leave."

"Can't, Hoss. Now, let me go."

"Want me to back you?" Hoss stood as well, his chair making a scraping sound as he pushed it back and placed his hand on the butt of his gun.

"No. Just pick me up off the floor, carry me out and take me home—or to the undertaker's as the case may be." Adam took off his gun belt, coiled it and handed it to Hoss.

Adam stepped out and faced Rollo who had turned and was leaning against the bar, his elbows on the wooden counter. He smirked as Adam stood in the middle of the room; he had angered Adam Cartwright and would now have the pleasure of beating that pretty-boy face into a pulp.

"Now look, you two," Harley said. "Take any fighting outside. I don't want no damage in here." But neither man paid the barkeep any attention.

"Seems to me, Rollo," Adam started," that when your mouth's not full of another man's cock, you have nothing else to do with it but to run it and let shit pour out. Maybe you should just leave—hurry back to the ranch. Isn't Maxwell waiting for his bitch to come home so he can ram it up your ass?" Adam said as he braced for the punch that he knew was coming.

Hoss groaned. Adam didn't need to antagonize Rollo, in his opinion. There was no walking away now.

And Rollo's face screwed up with fury. He pushed himself away from the bar, roaring and swung out a huge fist. Adam side-stepped and then, as Rollo stumbled trying to stop his momentum to keep himself from falling over the nearest table, Adam pushed him over it with a hard shove to the buttocks with a booted foot. Now Rollo was angrier than he had been. Everyone was watching and Adam Cartwright had humiliated him in more than one way.

Rollo stood up after disentangling himself from the overturned chairs and table. "I'm gonna kill you with my bare hands, you mother-fuckin' sonofabitch but first I'm gonna shove this here knife up your ass all the way to your throat and slice off your fuckin' tongue," Rollo said, pulling out his knife.

Adam said nothing—just waited but the knife made him nervous.

Harley hurried out from behind the bar and sent Lil, the salon girl, to fetch Sheriff Coffee. "Tell him that Adam Cartwright is about to be killed by Rollo, Maxwell's man. And hurry, Lil." She ran out the saloon into the nightfall to find the sheriff or Deputy Clem.

A click of a gun hammer could be heard and Rollo turned to the sound. Hoss had his gun pointed at Rollo. "Drop the knife, Rollo, or you'll die holdin' it. This is gonna be a fair fight. Now drop it and kick it over to me."

Rollo, stood for a few moments holding the knife, breathing heavily. Then he looked back at the knife in his hand, back at Hoss and dropped the knife. The clattering sound was the only one in the saloon.

"Now kick it here," Hoss said. Rollo did and Hoss, still eyeing Rollo, picked it up and then slowly let the hammer down on his gun. Then all eyes turned back to Adam and Rollo.

Rollo moved around Adam and then swung out again but this one caught Adam and his head went back sharply as Rollo's fist landed with a painful blow on his left cheekbone. Hoss cringed as Adam fell backwards, stunned. Rollo loomed over him grinning and reached down and grabbed Adam by the shirt-front and jerked him up, ready to slam his fist again into Adam's face but Adam had enough control of his faculties to raise his knee and slam it into Rollo's groin. It wasn't considered particularly fair fighting but Hoss knew that afterwards, no one would blame Adam; when it came to Rollo, you either defended yourself any way you could or be maimed or dead.

Rollo let go of Adam as he grabbed his midsection and doubled over, his mouth gaping. Adam knew this would be his only chance. He swung up and caught Rollo in the throat. The big man fell and Adam grabbed him by the shirt, raising him slightly while Rollo struggled to breathe, his hands going to his throat. Adam kneeled over him and slammed his fist into Rollo's face again and again, ignoring the pain that shot through his hand.

Blood gushed forth from Rollo's nose and his mouth; he made small grunting noises as a gurgling sound was deep in his throat. Adam hammered into Rollo and the blood splattered over Adam's shirt, Rollo's shirt and on the floor. Rollo's eyes rolled into the back of his head and his head fell back limply. Adam released him and stood up.

"He's still breathin'," a bystander said who walked closer and looked down at the prone body.

Adam looked around. He knew that he had to make this the last fight, make it the last time he would have to defend Ultima from insults and slanders, to make certain that no one, absolutely no one dared say anything about her again. Adam walked over and picked up the spittoon that Rollo had used as a chamber pot a few minutes earlier, the brass still warm from the urine. Adam tossed the whole contents on Rollo who came to consciousness from the liquid thrown on him. The bystanders chuckled and even Harley had to smile. Rollo lay there with blood, tobacco sputum and his own piss on him.

To make his victory absolute, as Rollo watched him through swollen, half-opened eyes, Adam unbuttoned his pants and urinated on Rollo, the full stream hitting the man on the neck and chest and splashing on his face.

No one said anything but some of the people gave a slight gasp. Adam gave a slight hitch to his pants, tucked himself back inside and buttoned them up. He put out his hand for his gun belt. Hoss handed it to him. Adam looked back down at Rollo and said, "Piss on you and if you ever say anything about my wife again, I'll kill you, spilt you open like a slaughtered beeve and feed your entrails to Hop Sing's pigs." Then Adam put on his hat which a saloon girl had picked up off the floor and handed to him, and walked out of the saloon, Hoss behind him, a small grin on his face.

"Damn, Adam. That Rollo's gonna be so fuckin' mad. You done humiliated him so much he's gonna havta leave town." Hoss laughed. "Goin' home now?"

"No." Adam shook his hand, blood flicking from it, and tried to flex it but the knuckles of his right hand were so swollen and bloody that he couldn't. "I think I broke my goddamn hand punching that sonofabitch." They both saw Sheriff Roy Coffee loping toward them with Clem and Lil behind. Both Coffee and Clem carried rifles.

"Lil here said that you were gonna be killed." Roy said, stopping in front of Adam.

"Well, obviously she was wrong—and don't look so damn disappointed."

Roy Coffee scrutinized Adam's face where his cheekbone had swollen, almost closing his left eye. "I tell you, Adam—that's one helluva black eye you got there. Looks like someone hit you with a sledgehammer."

"Yeah, well, that's what it felt like. I need to get to Doc's, that is if you have nothing else to chat about." And Adam strode away. Hoss just shrugged at Sheriff Coffee and followed Adam.

"Those Cartwright boys," Roy Coffee said in a disapproving tone. "I swear. I should just ban 'em from town. No sayin' what we'll find in the saloon." And the three people continued to The Silver Dollar.


	9. Chapter 11

**9**

Ultima considered exactly what she should reveal before she continued telling Adam about Forsyth. Then she turned to face him and decided to underplay her reaction to her visitor.

"I told him that I wouldn't suggest that you sell him any shares. He was upset." She gave a small smile and then walked to him and ruffled the hair at his temples. He looked up at her and Ultima felt a surge of emotion as she saw the open devotion in his eyes. Ultima knew that her husband tried very hard not to reveal his vulnerabilities but often, especially when they lay together, his soul shone in his eyes and she saw a man who needed love and acceptance and then she would put her arms out and clasp him to her and stroke his hair.

"Did he lose his temper with you?" Adam placed his hands on Ultima's waist and pulled her closer, wrapping his arms about her. He pressed his face into her and smelled her sweetness, felling his arousal become stronger; she was his wife and he knew that should he ask, she would go upstairs with him now.

"No. He's not that type. But I know that he's angry and he still wants to buy some shares. I have been considering as he offered to pay more than they're worth. I'm also sure he's considering that he could probably convince some of the others to share their shares. If he can convince enough people to sell, then he'll own a greater portion of the stock and have a greater voting presence."

"Well, we own 65% together; we would still have the majority." Adam released her and stood up. "Don't worry about him. Forsyth may very well just give up. After all, he also owns shares in the Ophir mine in Colorado and I'm sure a few others—I haven't investigated him that much; he doesn't need to own shares in the Croesus. Just don't worry." Adam kissed her lightly but he knew human nature; once a man has wealth, all he can usually think about it garnering more. And he also wondered why Forsyth wanted the Croesus mine so badly; it had to be more than just avarice. "I'll go wash for dinner and maybe we should turn in early." He winked at his wife. Ultima was flustered; Adam was unpredictable and she never knew what to expect from him but he obviously wanted to come to her earlier than usual and spend a great deal of time in her bed. But as Adam walked away, Ultima relaxed a bit. It was good to hear Adam's reassurances despite the fact that she wasn't freed from her concerns. And she looked forward to giving herself up to her husband completely that night, to let him use her as he desired and to not have to think for a while—just to feel his hands move over her and his mouth tantalize her. And she shivered slightly in anticipation.

Ultima pulled on her gloves and looked at herself once more in the mirror in the foyer. Amanda stood next to her holding the Missus' basket of threads, fabric pieces and needles. Ben Cartwright waited out in the front with a buggy to take his daughter-in-law into Virginia City for her Wednesday afternoon Ladies' Church Guild quilting bee.

Ultima took the basket from the young girl who smiled and said, "You look lovely, ma'am. The new hair style is fetching indeed, and I'm sure that the next time it won't take us so long." The latest _Godey's Lady's Book _had arrived with the newest hair styles from Paris and Ultima and Amanda had laughed together as they fixed Ultima's hair in the latest fashion. Ultima knew that Adam, when he saw it, would probably say the style was pretentious and that it made her look more like a French whore but then she also knew that he would later whisper, as he nuzzled her neck, that she was beautiful and that he was a most fortunate man to have won her.

Ultima smiled at Amanda. She had known the young girl since she was twelve. Amanda had been orphaned and her mother had worked for a neighbor so Ultima took the girl into her household and taught her how to be a lady's maid. Soon Amanda far surpassed Maisie who had been Ultima's lady's maid until the young woman married and left the Lafferty's employ. Ultima became truly fond of Amanda and they often chatted about love and men, Amanda wanting to know as much as possible as her young girl's heart longed to be loved as her Missus was by her husband as well as Mr. Lafferty. But Amanda had never before heard the sounds that emanated from the Missus' room now that she was Mrs. Cartright.

"Well, you did a wonderful job, Amanda, and if Mr. Cartwright had to wait a bit, well, men should be accustomed to waiting for women." Ultima patted Amanda on her arm and the girl rushed around her mistress to open the door for her.

Ben Cartwright, who had been waiting, leaning against the buggy, gave a sigh of impatience as Ultima finally walked out. He had been asked to wait inside but had declined; Ben had hoped that Ultima would hurry if she knew that he was waiting outside but she hadn't. He did have to admit that Ultima looked lovely.

"Well, I take it that you're ready?" Ben asked taking the basket from Ultima and placing it behind the seats.

"I am so sorry that I was late." Ultima smiled at her father-in-law. Although she saw very little of Ben in Adam, she had to admit that he was a handsome man and he did make Mrs. Fontaine's heart flutter.

"Well, it seems to have been worth it," he sincerely replied. "Are you wearing your hair differently?" Ben had noticed that instead of the usual severe style of her hair, there were soft curls and tendrils that fell gently from her up-do and her hat sat perched jauntily to the side.

"Yes," she answered as he helped her up. Had it been Adam, Ultima would have asked him if he liked the new style but not his father; he and she had an uneasy alliance. Ultima knew that Ben disapproved of her and Adam's overhasty marriage. She had heard Ben mumble when Adam had brought her home, "Husband not even cold yet and she marries again." But Ben had seemed to soften a bit in his disapproval and they always had a pleasant drive to Virginia City—the most pleasant part of every Wednesday as far as Ultima was concerned.

Ultima did not enjoy the Wednesday afternoon quilting bee and she had nothing in common with the pious women who prayed before their work began and then after. But the quilts went to the poor and needy in the areas and some were sent to "Our red brothers who have need."

Adam had conflicting feelings about "Our Red Brothers." He knew that the land that he and his family owned had once been the Paiute's and the Bannock's. Therefore, he always felt guilty about all the land they owned. He knew the other ranchers had stolen their land from their "Red Brothers" as well. So ever since he was a child, Adam and his father had always "mitigated their guilt" as he put it to his father, by taking steers and horses to the Paiutes nearby.

The quilting bee had been Adam's idea.

"You should join the ladies' guild at the church. They keep asking you but you keep declining the invitation." He ran his hands over Ultima's smooth belly and down her thighs. It relaxed her; she reminded him of a cat as she moved under his hands. "One day I expect you to purr," he had said.

"They bore me," Ultima said. "I have nothing to say to those stodgy women. Besides, I'm sure they gossip about me behind my back."

"Well they might be less inclined to do so if you become friendlier. The Cartwrights have a presence in Virginia City, in the whole territory and you must be as gracious to them as if they were guests in our home." He lightly ran his fingers on the inside of one of her thighs as she had slightly relaxed her legs and let them drop apart. "Attend the next quilting bee; my father can take you into town on Wednesday's."

She opened her eyes and looked at him. "Is that an order?"

"Yes, it is. This Sunday, tell them with your sweetest smile, that you are delighted they asked you and that you will join the following Wednesday. Understand, my love?" Adam bent over and placed a kiss below her navel.

Ultima had sighed; she knew that she had no choice. She reached down and stroked Adam's hair. "I understand. Whatever you want, husband." And she heard Adam laugh deeply in his throat.

"You always do give me what I want—what I need, don't you, my love?" He had a slight sarcastic tinge to his voice whenever he called her, "My Love."

"Yes," she answered. "Always," and sighed as she arched her back, her eyes closed to better enjoy the pleasure he was giving her.

Utima felt the thimble to be an awkward invention and it had taken her the past four meetings to be able to manage it as she stitched the pieces of fabric into place. The women talked about the visiting minister who would be coming next week, Mrs. Gibson's late delivery of her first child and how Sue Hanson and Marlene Frank were behaving like little harlots in church, both of them trying to win the attention of Hart Mansfield's son, Tom. They all agreed that church was not the place to find a husband as one's mind should be on spiritual achievements—not carnal and that someone needed to talk to the young girls' parents.

Ultima refrained from saying anything since she well-knew that if she talked to the girls, she would give them advice on how to be subtle and yet be assured that they were receiving the young man's attention. And Ultima sighed deeply and suddenly realized when all hands stopped their stitching and the women looked at her, that she had given away that she was bored.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Ultima said. "My stays are so tight that I often find it necessary to take a deep breath."

"My dear," Ms. Worthington said, "you must allow more room and loosen the ties. As we age, our waists do expand, especially with children. I've also noticed that you haven't partaken of any of the pies that have been served. Now that you're married, you have no need to worry about a few pounds here and there. Just wait until you have children!'

The women laughed together and Ultima smiled congenially. Adam had told her to be gracious and she was doing her best. She went back to stitching while Doris Tarnower went to the table in the church's common room where they met and took up the tea tray in order to refresh the women's cups. Then Doris was distracted by a young woman standing at the door.

"Excuse me," she said. She looked worried and nervous. "I'm to find Mrs. Cartwright. It seems that Mr. Ben Cartwright has been injured. He's been taken off the street and into a business—the doctor is with him and he has called for his daughter-in-law."

Ultima stood up. "I'm Mrs. Cartwright." She turned to the women who were all looking at her. "Please excuse me, ladies. I must go."

They all agreed that she must go and offered any help should she need it and a place for Ben to rest should he need it, and Ultima rushed out with the young woman leading her. Ultima held up her skirts and people turned to look at the two women, one well-dressed and elegant, the other dressed a bit shabbily and with her hair hanging straight, rushing past them. Ultima nodded at the men who tipped their hats as they stepped aside to allow her to go by unimpeded. After a few minutes of walking and turns into side streets, Ultima looked around. She wasn't familiar with this part of town. The sidewalk had ended and they walked in the dirt and the buildings were in a state of disrepair, needing new paint and shutters.

Ultima stopped. The young woman, realizing that she had, turned to her. "Hurry," she said. "He's in a bad way."

"Just where is Mr. Cartwright? He would have no business in this part of town."

"He's right there—in that building. There." The woman pointed and Ultima craned her neck to see; she didn't want to go any further.

"I'm going back," Ultima said. "I'll fetch the sheriff and return." Ultima turned and raised her skirts higher as her heart began to pound. With her stays so tight that she couldn't take a deep breath, she felt light-headed and dizzy as she hurried. And then she heard the young woman's voice call out, "Mack! Mack! She's on to us! Hurry!"


	10. Chapter 12

**10**

Ultima heard footsteps behind her, heavy breathing as the person came closer, and then a hand grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her back; Ultima reached behind her head and grabbed a man's wrists and he clapped a calloused palm over her mouth. He released her hair and with an arm around her waist, pulled her back. He reeked of days of unwashed sweat, cheap whiskey and tobacco.

There were only a few people who saw what was happening-an old man sitting on a porch and two women leaning on the railing of the balcony of a ramshackle brothel. The sight of the beautifully-dressed woman being dragged off by a roughly-dressed man caused no particular interest, not in this end of town. They had witnessed worse things happen.

Ultima struggled, her hat falling off, but she was dragged into an alley where another man and two women waited. The man who had grabbed her, let her go but blocked her exit from the alley. Ultima, her breath coming in short gasps, looked around at the faces.

"Okay, strip her," the man said who had dragged her there. Ultima felt the women's hands and the other man's rip apart her dress and tear it off along with her petticoat. The man then pulled out a knife and cut through her stays and then slit open the back of her chemise and one of the women jerked it off; the silk tore away and Ultima stood before them in just her pantalets, stockings and shoes.

The man blocking her escape gave a low whistle. "If I had the time, I'd give you a good, hard fuck to remember me by. You wouldn't want no goddamn pussy like that Adam Cartwright after you had a time with me—I guarantee you that." He grinned and Ultima saw his tobacco-stained teeth.

Then the other man held her arms behind her and tied her wrists together while the two women who had been helping, lifted a bucket each and began to pour a thick, dark viscous substance over her starting at the top of her head. Ultima recognized the sickly, sweet smell—molasses. The molasses ran down her face and onto her chest. The women poured two more bucketfuls, pouring some over her shoulders to make certain that her body was covered. Then they picked up some filthy pillows and Ultima stopped resisting; it would do no good. She stood passively while the man with the knife slit open the pillows and then they shook the feathers over her. Ultima realized that she was being symbolically tarred and feathered.

The man grabbed her by the upper arms and pushed her out into the street where a buckboard stood waiting. He and the other man lifted her and put her in the back and then shook another pillow-full of feathers over her. The man who had grabbed her in the street climbed onto the seat and snapped the reins on the horse's back and when they reached the middle of Virginia City's main street, he stopped the buckboard, dragged Ultima out and dropped her in the dirt. Then he rode out of town as if hell was snapping at his heels, almost tipping over the buckboard avoiding the others in the street.

Ultima struggled to get up. She was disoriented; she wasn't familiar with Virginia City as either Adam, his father, Hoss or Joe always accompanied her into the town. She looked around and then realized why her wrists were tied; she couldn't cover her face in shame or her breasts in modesty—she was open and exposed. The men riding horses or driving wagons stopped and stared and the bystanders did as well. None of them had seen anything like the spectacle before them—a woman "tarred and feathered" and left unceremoniously on the main thoroughfare. Women with small children pulled them into stores not because her nudity was obvious, the feathers somewhat disguised it, but because the sight was horrific.

Ultima's mind ran confusedly. She knew she had to find her father-in-law. She needed him to take her home but she had no idea where he was. She looked around at the amazed faces and prayed they didn't recognize her but as she started down the street, she heard her name like a hum rise from the sidewalks where people came out of the stores or stared out the windows, mainly female voices. "It's Adam Cartwright's wife." "It's Ultima Cartwright—married to Adam." "Someone took her down a notch or two, I guess."

But mixed with those comments were a few, "Oh, dear Lord." "Someone get the sheriff." "That poor woman."

Ben Cartwright and Roy Coffee sat outside his office played checkers on an upended crate.

"Crown me," Ben said. He grinned in victory. He enjoyed seeing Roy disgusted with losing another piece but when Ben noticed a crowd of people moving toward them, he stood up. "Look, Roy."

Roy Coffee stood up, puzzled. He stepped out slightly to see what was happening. "What the hell…" and then Roy stepped off the sidewalk and into the street and started running.

Ben stared for a few moments, not understanding what it was and then he realized that someone had been tarred and feathered but this looked different from the few times he had seen the punishment before, the humiliation of someone who had behaved egregiously and who was going to be run out of town. In that instance, the smell of pine tar was strong and the person looked like some creature from one of the Indian monster legends. Ben suddenly realized it was a woman and that she had been stripped from the waist up. And then his heart pounded and his breath caught. It was Ultima.

Ben raced to where Roy had already reached Ultima and was guiding her to the jail. Ben reached them and pulled off his vest and placed it around Ultima's shoulders. Together they led her into the jail and Ben bolted the door because a few people wanted inside; they wanted to know what had happened.

Ultima stood and stoically allowed Ben to untie her wrists. He fumbled as the hemp was sticky with the molasses. "Roy, give me a knife."

Roy reached in his pocket and pulled out a small folding knife and Ben sawed away at the ropes until they fell from her small wrists. Ben was shocked at how tiny she was, her wrists as narrow as a child's.

"Ultima, what happened?" Ben asked.

"I want to go home," she managed to say. "Please, take me home."

Roy draped one of the blankets he had in the jail over her shoulders and Ultima held it tightly together.

"Mrs. Cartwright, who did this to you? Do you know them?" Roy tried to be gentle but he had to ask her the question.

Ultima swallowed to keep from crying. "I just want to go home. Please, take me home." She turned her eyes on Ben. "Please. I need to wash before Adam comes home. I can't let him see me like this."

"Yes, yes.' Ben thought for a moment. "Roy, I'll bring the buggy here and put up the bonnet. We'll help her in this side."

"All right." Roy said and Ben rushed out. The sheriff looked at the young woman who was smeared with molasses, feathers sticking to the substance with the slightly sulfur smell. Ultima just looked ahead, her eyes unfocused. "I'm going to investigate this as soon as you're gone with Ben but…did you know any of them?" Roy feared that Ultima was going into shock of some type as she seemed unresponsive. He would expect her to be crying as any woman would be after what had happened but she showed no emotion at all.

"No," Ultima quietly answered.

"Can you tell me where this happened? I mean what street? Was it a house?"

She shook her head and then turned to look when the door opened. It was Ben, his brow furrowed with concern.

"The buggy's right outside. Come, Ultima." Together he and Roy helped Ultima up on the seat. "Would you prefer to lie down in the back behind the seats?"

Her voice was barely perceptible as she said, "No. I just want to go home. Please." Ultima had yet to make eye contact with either man; she just stared ahead. Ben climbed up and took his place.

"You take care of her. Do you want me to send out the Doc before I look into this?" Roy held onto the side of the buggy.

Ben glanced at Ultima and then turned back to Roy. "Yes. No saying what else might have happened to her. Thanks, Roy." Roy stepped back onto the sidewalk and watched while Ben started the horse in a circle, turning around in the street and headed for the Ponderosa as people still watched from the sidewalks

Roy shook his head as he pondered what type of person he should be looking for—who it was who would do such a thing, such a horrid, humiliating thing. And he also wondered, was the act against Ultima, Adam or the Cartwrights in general? But then he remembered the beating Adam had given Rollo, Maxwell's best ranch hand. Although it had been four months earlier, a wise man like Maxwell would wait to exact revenge, would let Adam drop his guard and then attack. After all, Adam was the one who had humiliated Rollo in front of a saloon-full of people and Roy had told Rollo to never show his face in Virginia City again. He was a trouble-maker and pissed in the saloon's spittoons and Harley was filing charges of public indecency.

Roy walked over to the crowd that had gathered on the other side of the street. They began to disperse as Roy approached but he knew who they were; they wouldn't be difficult to interview later but now he had to see Dr. Martin.


	11. Chapter 13

11

Adam, Hoss and Joe rode up to Adam's house, Adam, not even waiting for his horse to come to a complete stop before he leaped off. The buggy was still out front and as Joe paused, he pulled some feathers off the seat. He held them up for Hoss to see and Hoss furrowed his brow and then shrugged. Joe did as well and let the feathers float away.

Adam burst into the house and into the drawing room. Ben stood up and by his face, Adam knew something was terribly wrong.

"What is it? Where's Ultima?"

"She's upstairs bathing, but…." Ben grabbed Adam by the arm as he began to leave for the stairs. "You need to listen first. Now sit down and let me explain what happened."

Hoss and Joe stood in the entrance and Ben shook his head.

"I guess we better wait outside on the porch," Joe said to Hoss.

"Yeah. I guess so." Hoss and Joe were about to leave but heard "Mr. Hoss?" come from inside. It was Mrs. Fontaine. She looked troubled.

"You need somethin', Mrs. Fontaine?" Hoss asked.

"Yes. Would you take this bucket of hot water upstairs to Mrs. Cartwright's room—the second on the right side? It's for another…it's for the bath. Just knock and Amanda will come to the door."

"Yes, ma'am, be glad to." Hoss tipped his hat and picked up the bucket.

"If you come to the kitchen afterwards, Mao Li has dinner ready. No one seems to have an appetite and it would be a shame to let it go to waste—fried pork chops, apples and new potatoes in butter. You come too," she said to Joe. Then she gave them a sad smile.

Joe followed Mrs. Fontaine to the kitchen; maybe he could find out what had happened and why Mao Huan had come riding up on a horse, clinging to the mane of the animal to yell, "Mistah Adam, you come home. You come home now!" And Adam dropped the fence pole he had been holding and ran to his horse, mounted and then took off at a gallop to get home as quickly as possible. Joe and Hoss had looked at one another, told Moonie to keep the men working and followed Adam over the rough terrain to take the shortest way to his house.

Adam saw Ultima sitting in the copper tub, her hair hanging wet and Amanda rinsing out the soap. Adam smelled something sweet—the molasses-and then he saw the rough blanket from the jail and Ultima's underclothing in a pile in the corner, all smeared with the substance. There were feathers on them and on the floor where they had stuck.

Amanda looked at Adam and stepped back with the small pitcher in her hand.

"Take those out," Adam told her, motioning to the pile, "and burn them."

"Yes, sir." Amanda curtsied slightly and then put the pitcher on the metalwork table by the tub. At Adam's voice, Ultima had turned her head slightly but then turned back.

Adam kneeled beside the bath. "Ultima, Pa told me what happened. He also said that Dr. Martin says that you should be all right—just that the incident was…Ultima, look at me. Please."

She shook her head, no and continued to stare at the wall in front of her.

"Let me wash your back." Adam picked up the washing cloth and began to lave Ultima's back and he could see her begin to relax. He gently rubbed her back and she pulled her wet hair over her shoulder and dropped her head while he moved the wet cloth in circles on her shoulder blades, neck, and then down her spine.

"Do you want to tell me about what happened?" he quietly said.

Ultima straightened up and arched her back to pull away. "No. I don't want to talk about it now or ever. Would you hand me a towel?"

Adam picked up one of the thick, fluffy towels and held it open. Ultima stepped out of the tub onto the small rug beside it and Adam enveloped her in the towel. Then he put his arms around her but she pushed herself free. He was puzzled; he didn't know what to do. According to his father, she hadn't cried, just sat stone-faced during the ride home. Once they had arrived, Mrs. Fontaine, Mao Li and Amanda all came out and then, after instructions from Ben, Mao Li sent her husband to find the "Mistah" and tell him to come home. Old Cletus, the only ranch hand on the place who tended the horses and did small jobs, had trouble riding with his bad leg that caused him to limp so Mao Huan was sent. But despite the sympathy and care that Mrs. Fontaine, Amanda and the cook tried to give her, Ultima just told Amanda to prepare her bath—she wanted two baths. She also told Amanda to lay out a sleep gown for her; she was tired. And Ben watched, not knowing what to make of it. It only confirmed his opinion that Ultima was emotionless—cold-and that Adam might have made a mistake but he kept that observation to himself.

"I can smell dinner," Ultima calmly said as she tucked the towel around her torso and then reached for another one to dry her hair. "Invite your father to stay if he's still here. He was kind to me." Adam didn't move just studied her. "Please, Adam, go. I really would like to be alone. I'm so tired." He stepped toward her to kiss her but she put her hand on his chest. "Please. Go eat dinner. I'm fine. It was an unfortunate incident but I'm fine. Now go and leave me."

Adam left his wife's room and Amanda, once Adam passed her at the foot of the stairs, took to the stairs to brush the Mistress' hair and to massage rose-scented oil into her skin and onto her feet. Amanda knew that her Mistress needed soothing and Amanda loved her enough to help where she could. And once Mrs. Cartwright was asleep, Amanda decided she would search out and pick up every feather in the house that had fallen away so that the Missus wouldn't be reminded. She found it amazing that as beautiful as Mrs. Cartwright was, anyone would want to harm her and humiliate her in such a way and Amanda wondered who it was who had arranged such a thing.

Adam and Ben sat in Adam's study sipping brandy. "I know this was Maxwell's doing for both the cattle and Rollo's beating in the saloon. I swear I'm going to kill those bastards."

"Adam, we settled that issue about the cattle months ago; I paid him market price for the beeves and we shook hands. I don't think…" but Ben didn't finish as wasn't so sure. There was the matter of Rollo and Adam's slur about Maxwell and Rollo; Maxwell may have been waiting for the perfect tie to hit back at Adam.

"I'm going out there tomorrow," Adam said as he swallowed a large slug of the brandy and poured himself more.

Ben stood up. "Adam, get a good night's sleep and go talk to Roy in the morning instead. He said he was going to investigate. He might very well have the perpetrators in jail by now." Adam just glowered at his father. "Take care of your wife. I'll stop by tomorrow and see how things are."

After his father left, Adam went upstairs and paused in front of Ultima's room. She had said that she wanted to be alone but he couldn't stay away from her. He knocked and then opened the door and walked in. Ultima looked to the door; she wasn't asleep. She silently watched as Adam sat on the edge of the bed and pulled off his boots. He unbuttoned his shirt halfway and pulled it off over his head. Then he turned and in the dark, he could see Ultima watching him.

Adam intentionally left on his trousers and slid under the covers, whispered that he was sorry he still stank from all his work that day and pulled Ultima into his arms. They lay together, Ultima, rigid in his embrace, so he gently kissed her hair and told her that she was his wife and that he wished her pain was his to bear instead. Ultima began to cry, softly at first and placed an arm around him. Adam crooned comforting words to her and soon Ultima was sobbing against his chest, sobbing as if her heart would break and Adam felt his own hot tears. Tenderness toward the woman he held in his arms rose in his chest and threatened to overwhelm him. Her pain cut through him like a sharp knife-her suffering broke his heart and he knew that he would have done anything, anything to have prevented it. But now he would kill whoever had done this awful thing to Ultima, to his wife—the woman he loved-and he would enjoy doing it, relish seeing them suffer. Maxwell and his henchmen had best be ready to die.


	12. Chapters 1& 2

**1**

"Two men to see you, ma'am," the housekeeper said.

Mrs. Adam Cartwright stood up. She wasn't tall but the way she carried herself and her slender frame made her seem taller. "Please send them in; I don't suppose they have calling cards."

"No, ma'am." The small, plump, gray-haired woman turned to leave but Mrs. Cartwright called her back.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Do they look like coffee or whiskey, Mrs. Fontaine?"

"Whiskey, ma'am."

"Then have Amanda bring in coffee. And a plate of butter cookies. I may as well be as gracious as possible since I am my husband's representative, so to speak."

"Yes, ma'am." The housekeeper smiled to herself while shaking her head in amusement. She had worked for Mrs. Cartwright when she was the former Mrs. Lafferty and she was well familiar with her mistress' cleverness. Mr. Lafferty had been no match for his brilliant wife, often left wondering what had occurred right under his nose but Adam Cartwright, he saw right through her and yet he had still wanted her. But some men like a bit of danger in their lives—become addicted to it, Mrs. Fontaine decided. She called out for Amanda, a young girl of fifteen who served as a lady's maid and helped Mrs. Cartwright dress, bathe, and fix her hair on formal occasions. She was fair in looks, plump and of a most pleasing nature.

"Manda, fix up one of the trays with the coffee service. And here, put this plate of cookies on it as well." And Amanda, as agreeable as always, smiled and did as she was asked.

While waiting for her visitors, Mrs. Cartwright smoothed out her skirts. She was dressed in the newest fashion of more narrow skirts and the neckline of the dress was high and prim. She wore her shiny dark hair pulled back with only a few tendrils to cut the severity. Her face was pale and heart-shaped and her eyes were a light blue-gray. Her mouth, though soft, rarely curled into a smile. Despite the coldness of her normal expression, she was beautiful and all men were struck by it. Nevertheless it didn't keep any of them from referring to her as that cold, Cartwright bitch. They joked that Adam Cartwright probably had to thaw out his cock after he poked her lest it snap off like an icicle when he took his piss afterwards.

Ultima Cartwright turned and two men were ushered in by Mrs. Fontaine who immediately left. They glanced quickly around the room. They were familiar with parlors but they had heard that Mrs. Cartwright had high tastes and thought that she was back living in San Francisco and her "drawing room" was supposedly an impressive sight to see. The men now knew why.

The fireplace was fronted with pure white Yule marble from Colorado that also composed the mantle. Every day that the fireplace was in use, Mrs. Fontaine had to rise early, along with the cook and Amanda, and then rush to clean it to remove any soot or she would hear the mistress' displeasure with her work. So while Mao Lin prepared breakfast for Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright, Mrs. Fontaine would scrub the marble, dust, carpet sweep and make certain that all was to her mistress' liking—even down to the placement of the sofa cushions and the antimacassars.

So the two men were impressed by the upholstered furniture and the rich wallpaper and rugs. The dark maple furniture glowed in the spring morning sun as did their hostess. The men were as taken aback as much by Mrs. Cartwright's presence as when they had been told to court the wife to get to the husband; they hadn't expected someone so delicate and so small—so vulnerable. And then they saw the look in her eyes and Mr. Sawyer, the shorter of the two men felt a shiver run through him; he had seen cold-blooded killers look upon him more kindly.

"Allow me to introduce us," The taller man said. "I am Mr. Murray and this is Mr. Sawyer. We have come on behalf of Mr. Matt Forsyth and his interests."

"A pleasure," Ultima said, "but if you have business to discuss, I suggest that you drive out to the Croesus mine and speak to my husband."

The two men exchanged looks. Then Mr. Murray turned back to Ultima with a smile fixed of his face. "We had been informed, Mrs. Cartwright, that your opinion weighs heavily in your husband's decisions—he looks upon you as an advisor seeing that your former husband, may he rest in peace, left the mine in your name."

Ultima smiled sweetly at the two men. "Please," Ultima said, "Won't you sit?" She took a seat on the edge of the sofa, daring either of the men to sit next to her—neither had the courage so they sat uncomfortably on the upholstered chairs which had curved, carved arms and legs. Adam had said that the drawing room looked like the inside of an high-class whorehouse but Ultima just looked askance at his derisive comments and replied that perhaps one day he would inform her how he knew what one looked like. And Adam had grinned broadly and then laughed and pulled her onto his lap.

Amanda brought in a silver tray with a fine china coffee set on it and also a plate of cookies. She gave a small half-curtsy and then left.

"Coffee, gentlemen?" Ultima said holding the coffee pot that was decorated with flowers painted in soft pastels. She smiled at them graciously and the two men looked at one another.

"Yes, ma'am," The shorter one said. "Thank you very much. Business is always easier to discuss with an air of hospitality and the sharing of bread." He blushed as Ultima merely stared at him. "I mean that merely as a metaphor. I know that it is not actual bread with which…"

"Shut up," Murray said. "You sound like a fuckin' idiot." He quickly realized that he had cursed and apologetically added, "Please forgive me, ma'am." Ultima nodded slightly. "I would be most grateful for a cup of coffee—black, ma'am, and a few of those cookies as well. Life needs a bit of sweetness." He was the better looking of the two and more muscular but Ultima noticed as he took his cup and saucer from her, that the cuffs of his shirt were begrimed. That told her what she needed to know.

"Before I forget, ma'am," the man said placing his cup and saucer gingerly on his knee and reaching inside his jacket, "I have a small token of Mr. Forsyth's admiration." He pulled out a small fabric-covered hinged box and handed it to her. Ultima noticed that his nails had ragged edges as if he chewed them down instead of clipping and the cuticles needed cleaning.

She opened the box and took a breath. Lying inside on a small satin pillow was a glowing gold nugget the size of a lima bean and as thick as the tip of a man's thumb. Ultima had enough experience with gold and gold mining that she didn't need to bite down on it to test its authenticity—it was gold. She snapped shut the box and placed it on the low table alongside the tray of china.

"I shall send Mr. Forsyth a note of appreciation for such a valuable gift but please convey my pleasure upon receiving it. Now, what was it you said about business?" And Ultima smiled gently while Mr. Murray nervously explained Mr. Forsyth's interest. Murray found that Mrs. Cartwright, despite being cool and distant, made him nervous and caused his mind to run to thoughts of fornication and how he would change that serene look on her face to one of excruciating pleasure—yeah, he thought, he'd have her squirming and screaming for more—he'd put her in her place—underneath him.

Ultima smiled, noticing the sweat that beaded on Mr. Murray's brow and upper lip. She was enjoying the meeting very much despite the fact that the more the man sweat, the more he stank. Ultima would have quite the story for her husband that night and he would show her his admiration and appreciation for her insight in ways she always found most delightful.

**2**

Ultima lay on her stomach, her chin propped on one arm while in the warm, dark room she lightly ran her fingers through Adam's chest hair. Her pale skin glowed like the moon. Then, as Adam sighed in contentment at her attentions, she lightly ran one finger around a nipple and then pinched it; he made a slight move but kept his eyes closed. Her husband's chest hair was so dense that Ultima once referred to him as a wolf that she longed to have devour her. Adam had warned her that he could be ravenous and that she may regret his voracious attentions once having invited them.

"So, Mrs. Cartwright," Adam said as he lay sated from their lovemaking, "As I understand it, if my mind is still clear after having enjoyed you, Forsyth sent his henchmen to broach the subject of our selling him some of our shares in the mine. You are supposed to convince me. Is that the reason for such an exuberant bounce tonight?"

"Now, husband, you know me better than that. I don't need to be bribed." Ultima moved over him and Adam opened his dark eyes to look into hers. She pushed her hair behind one ear, letting the other side fall like a curtain around them and kissed him softly. "But for some reason, people believe that I can make you do my bidding."

"Now what would make them think that? Just because you have the sweetest snatch I've ever met?" He grinned up at her and she laughed softly. He sat up and kissed her again. "That gold nugget is quite the bribe, though."

Adam gently pushed his wife onto her back and stood up. Ultima stretched and then yawning, she pulled the sheets up to her neck rolling over onto her side to watch Adam put on his robe. He whispered goodnight and then left her alone, closing the door behind him and walked barefooted to his room. He was tired and wanted to sleep but as much as he tried to make himself comfortable in his own bed, the talk with his wife kept him awake. Adam didn't trust Matthew Forsyth or the fact that he had sent the nugget to Ultima; it worried him. For one, what made Forsyth think that Ultima could be convinced in any way to do his bidding?

The other mining investors treated Mrs. Ultima Lafferty Cartwright with utmost respect; they had no choice. Although she may have been a silent partner in the Croesus mine with her first husband, Adam Cartwright made it obvious that she was a viable majority holder with more voting shares than the other minor shareholders. Ultima was present at all the business meetings and the dinners, sitting silently beside her husband, cool and unapproachable, her gloved hand often resting on his arm. Adam wanted Ultima there as he trusted her judgment and her observations—he recognized her shrewd mind and understood why Thomas Lafferty had confided all business matters in her.

But Adam also enjoyed seeing the other men at the business meetings or the elegant, expensive dinners given in Virginia City and San Francisco and Sacramento sweat a bit as they gazed upon Ultima's white bosom and her elegant arms as the jeweled bracelets glistened against her long, white gloves. They spoke among themselves about Cartwright's intention to distract them from business with his seductive wife with the blue-gray eyes and the kittenish face and the low-cut bodice. They could think of nothing else but wonder what kind of bed partner she would be.

And afterwards, Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright would discuss what had passed as they lay in the dark, completely open to one another and Adam would listen to Ultima's summations and observations and then he would ask her opinion. And he always weighed what she said; she was a good partner for him, he had decided long ago.

But the events of today were a first; no one had first approached Ultima before, tried to get to him through her unless she had not been open with him in the past but he doubted that. Ultima was clever but up to that point, she had never been devious. So Adam was kept awake considering whether or not Ultima could be bribed to betray him. If anyone could convince her to do so, it would be Forsyth. True, Adam thought, they had laughed over the gold nugget and she had even playfully threatened to slide it up him so he could toss it out with the other excrement in the morning. But Adam knew that his wife was well aware that the shiny piece of ore was valuable, far too valuable for any man to give it away without expecting something in return. Therefore, Adam had ordered her to return the nugget in the morning and if she chose to blame him for its return in the accompanying note of regret, all the better. He also told her to deny Forsyth's men access to her if they visited again—even to Forsyth should he choose to visit. Ultima had pouted slightly and said that she had hoped to have it put on a chain to wear around her neck and she placed it between her bare breasts as she lay on her back.

"Wouldn't it look lovely?" she had asked him. The piece did glow in the light cast about the room by the flames dancing in the fireplace; the evenings were still cool and Ultima preferred heat despite her icy demeanor. Looking at the nugget, Adam well-understood how men had been driven mad with gold lust—the tantalizing color and the promise that lay within its possession-just as he was always driven a bit mad with his lust for Ultima and what was promised by possessing her.

"A piece of cow shit would look delectable between your luscious tits," he had said grinning, "but I don't recommend you wear one."

"Oh, you," she had said and petulantly threw the gold nugget at him. It hit his shoulder and bounced off and Adam roughly pulled her to him.

"Be careful, my dear," he had said deep in his throat, "I don't suffer open aggression. I will put down any insurrection quickly and completely." And to make his point, he stopped her response with his mouth on hers and she moaned in surrender.


	13. Chapter 14

12

Adam buckled on his gun belt. He had taken Ultima breakfast and sat beside her on the bed as she sipped her morning coffee and picked at a buttered biscuit. She rarely ate much but Adam had insisted that Mao Li pile on the bacon and eggs. Adam watched his wife closely until Ultima had asked him to please not stare at her; what did he think she was going to do? She was through crying.

"I just want to make certain you eat," Adam had said. "Here, try some of that bacon in a biscuit." He reached for her fork.

"Adam, please." Ultima put her hand out and stayed his. "I am eating but you've given me enough food to feed Hoss and Joe together." Ultima sighed. "Adam, I'm fine this morning. Why don't you go? I'm sure you're needed elsewhere on the ranch." She tried to look unconcerned so that Adam wouldn't feel guilty. Ultima knew that was heavy on his mind; Adam believed that it was something he had done to cause what had happened to her in town.

"All right. You'll stay home today?"

Ultima nodded; she didn't think she'd ever want to venture from the house again.

Adam rose from the bed and kissed Ultima on her smooth hair, running his hand over it. He knew that Roy Coffee would probably come out and see her today but what Adam hadn't told Ultima was that before his father had left, Adam had asked his father to stay the day in order to find out what questions Roy asked and how Ultima answered them. Ben had reluctantly agreed; he sensed that Ultima might feel awkward around him now and he knew that he did since he had seen her practically naked. But he would spend the whole day.

Adam walked out of his house, his mind on facing down Maxwell and Joe and Hoss were lounging on his front porch, their two horses and his own saddled and waiting in the yard.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" Adam asked as he put on his hat.

"Now you don't think we're goin' to let you go to Maxwell's alone, do you?" Hoss asked, taking his feet down from the porch railing and standing up.

"Yeah," Joe said, rising from the porch swing. "If anything happens to you, oldest brother, why then Hoss becomes the boss and woe to us all."

Adam grinned. "Thanks," he said, "but are you to help me or hinder me?"

"Whatever the circumstances call for," Joe said grinning and the three brothers mounted their horses and left for Franklin Maxwell's small ranch.

"I'll blow your fuckin' brains out right now unless you tell me who did your bidding," Adam said. Maxwell sat in his office, his hands flat on his desktop and Adam held his gun to the older man's temple. Joe and Hoss faced the door into the room, holding their guns drawn and cocked as Rollo and another ranch hand stood there. They had apparently seen the Cartwright men enter the house and noted that their determined stride bode bad news.

"I swear to you, Adam, I had nothing to do with what happened to your wife." Maxwell began to sweat trying not to show fear but he was afraid. "I admit that I hate you but I wouldn't get to you through your wife. If I was going to do anything to her, I'd fuck her and have her singing in delight and wanting more and I'd make sure you knew—that's what I'd do. That other stuff—that tar and feathering-not my style of revenge."

"Did you send your men to do it?" Adam pushed the barrel of the gun against Maxwell's temple and the man leaned away from it.

"Hell, no. You want to ask Rollo yourself. He's the one who hates you the most but I can swear that he was on the property yesterday. I told him to leave all our business to me after you near beat him to death." Maxwell had seen Rollo outside the door. "Go ahead-ask him yourself."

"He can lie as easily as you," Adam said.

"I swear it…"

Adam stepped back and faced the door. "Keep your hands where I can see them," Adam said to Maxwell, "and don't move or make a sound. You even fart and I'll kill you before you can smell it."

Hoss motioned for Rollo to walk in and stepped aside, keeping his gun on the huge man.

Rollo glared at Adam. "I didn't do anything to your goddamn wife. You…you I'd gladly see fucked up good and dumped in the middle of town. I'd cover you with horse shit 'stead of feathers and though I know it'd get to you real good iffen anything happened to your wife, I didn't do it. I was out checkin' fence lines with Bingham so you can't steal any more of Maxwell's cattle and get away with it." The hate in Rollo's eyes was obvious. It was that open hate that made Adam believe him.

Adam holstered his gun. He turned and faced Maxwell.

"If I find that you had anything to do with what happened to my wife—anything, I'll hamstring you like a hog, slit you open from your balls to your throat and let the buzzards have at you. You remember that."

Adam strode out and Hoss and Joe followed. Maxwell sighed. He was glad to be rid of them; they were a formidable threesome.

Maxwell stood up. "Rollo, you sure as hell best be telling the truth. Tell me now if you had anything to do with it. I don't want to end up as fuckin' buzzard bait."

"Mr. Maxwell, I had nothin' to do with it and I don't know who the hell did. You told me not to even go into Virginia City any more after what that fuckin' Sheriff Coffee said—bannin' me from town on account of them Carwtrights. Hell, I have to ride to Carson City just to get laid."

The other ranch hand laughed. "Cut a pretty, little heifer out of the herd and put a fancy bow on her forelock, Rollo. She'll be prettier than any big-assed whore who'd fuck you no matter how much you paid." And the three men laughed and then Maxwell told them to get back to work. But he wondered who would be so brave as to stir up Adam Cartwright. Or so stupid.

All that Roy had been able to discover was that the incident with Ultima Cartwright had taken place in the north side of town, all the way near the end of the street where the whore houses started—the cheapest at the end so any cowboys arriving would stop there first. In the early evenings, the whores leaned over the balconies in their "courting" clothes as they laughingly referred to them, calling down to the passing men or on the front porches showing off their "wares."

Roy had sent Clem to investigate and in one of the alleys, Clem had found buckets that had once held molasses but now were crawling with ants. The dirt was slick with molasses suffused mud. Feathers were stuck in the muddy mess and empty pillow ticking was tossed about. He interviewed the inhabitants of that area but no one claimed to have seen anything or anyone. Clem hadn't really expected to find answers but he was still chagrined to have to tell Roy that he had nothing but the little physical evidence of the aftermath of the "tar" and feathering.

Roy tried to assure Adam and Ben that he would eventually find out something as they sat in his office Friday afternoon.

"Sorry, Adam. That's all we have. I even went out and talked to the people myself, following up after Clem, but if they know anything, they're not telling us. I just wonder who would do such a thing. I'd suspect that it was a case of mistaken identity except that the women at the church said that the woman came and asked for your wife by name. I can't make heads or tails out of it." Roy sighed. "When I talked to your wife, well, she said she didn't know any of them and then wouldn't say no more. She didn't give me much to go on."

Adam who had been carefully listening, stood up so suddenly that Ben was even surprised.

"I appreciate what you and Clem have done. Thank you." He turned to his father. "I have something to take care of. Don't wait for me." And then Adam put on his hat and walked out.

"Now where you think he's going?" Roy asked. "I hope to hell he's not going to start more trouble."

"I don't even want to guess where he's going," Ben said. He sighed deeply. "I don't know, Roy, I just don't know."

Roy pulled opened a desk drawer and as Ben watched, he pulled out two glasses and a bottle of whiskey and sat them on his desk.

"I keep this for medicinal purposes," Roy said, "and you look like you could use a dose right about now." Roy poured the gold liquid and then handed a glass to Ben.

"Thanks, Roy. I need this badly." And the two men downed their drinks.


	14. 14

14

The soft breeze from the open window lightly caressed their bodies, drying the sweat glistening on their skin. Adam and Ultima lay side by side on her bed and held hands, both sated from their exertions.

"Adam?" Ultima quietly asked. He mumbled a response. "Would you still want me…if something happened to me?"

He opened his eyes and looked over at Ultima who was staring at the ceiling.

"What do you mean—happened to you?"

"Suppose I was in an accident and it scarred my face. Would you still want me?"

Adam let go of her hand and turned on his side. Ultima looked over to him as he scrutinized her face, his brow furrowed. "Why are you asking me this?"

"I was just thinking and it made me wonder. That's all. Can't I wonder about things?" She rose off the bed and went and stood at the window looking at the garden below. The widow sheers floated and danced about her.

Adam admired her smooth skin, the curve of her back into her rounded buttocks and the firmness of her thighs. "What is it? Are you still bothered by something Forsyth said or is it something else?"

Ultima turned to look at him and laughed lightly. "It's nothing in particular. Just tell me one thing—if you ever found out who was behind my assault, what would you do?" She pushed a strand of loose hair from her face. Her hair had come down from the pins that had held it up while she and Adam had grappled with each other in their passion.

Adam swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. He went to her and Ultima felt his arms wrap around her from behind and the heat of his lips on the back of her neck and along the top of her right shoulder. He then whispered in her ear, "You don't want to know what I'd do."

Ultima turned in his arms to face him. "I would want you to turn him in to Sheriff Coffee."

"Oh, I would—whatever was left of him, that is."

Ultima gently pushed him aside and slipped on her silk wrap that was over a chair. She bent over and picked up her clothing from the floor and tossed the pieces on the foot of the bed. "If we're going to be at your father's for dinner, I need to dress and fix my hair. Would you have Amanda come up and help me?"

"So I'm dismissed?" Adam stood with his hands on his hips.

Ultima sat at her vanity and pulled the remaining pins from her hair. "I need to get ready." Adam swept his clothes up off the floor and put on the dress trousers he had worn to church and with the jacket, shirt and tie in one hand, his boots in the other, he left Ultima's room.

Adam didn't know how it happened, how Ultima could desire him so much, thrill him to his toes with her tantalizing mouth, hands and tongue, touch him in places to make him groan and writhe in pleasure and then—like a door shutting—close him out. But he had remembered his father saying not to ever try to understand a woman—it will addle your brain as women were unfathomable.

Ultima looked at her reflection in the mirror. She imagined what she would see reflected if Forsyth sent men to slice her cheeks or cut off her nose. She shuddered and rested her head in her hands. There was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

Mrs. Fontaine walked in. "I've come to help you dress and with your hair." The housekeeper was happy to see the Missus in a lighter mood. The past three days hadn't been easy and if it hadn't been for the Mister, Mrs. Fontaine was certain that Mrs. Cartwright would still be weepy and keeping to her room.

"Where's Amanda?"

"It's the third Sunday, Missus. She has the day off, remember? This morning she packed a picnic basket and Old Cletus drove her into town. I think she has a beau? I've seen her talking out front to a young, handsome ranch hand—don't know if he's from the Ponderosa or not—and when I teased her a bit about him, Amanda just blushed and smiled." Mrs. Fontaine raised her brows knowingly.

"A beau? She's only sixteen." To Ultima, Amanda seemed a mere child.

"In these parts, a girl of sixteen is usually married and popping out children already. You were only eighteen when Mr. Lafferty took you as his wife. I still remember how you cried the next morning—you said that your youth was over and that now you were an old married woman and if I remember correctly, you asked me if things ever became pleasant doing your wifely duty. I suppose you know the answer to that now." Mrs. Fontaine grinned at Ultima's reflection in the mirror as she stood behind her.

"Yes, Mrs. Fontaine." Ultima sighed and ran her hands through her hand to find any hidden pins. "Fetch me some warm water then, would you? I need to wash." And Mrs. Fontaine who had noticed the mussed sheets and the coverlet hanging halfway off the bed, smiled to herself and went back downstairs to heat water on the stove.

The next morning, Ultima woke with the sun slanting into her bedroom and she glanced at the painted French clock under the bell jar that had come from the house in San Francisco; it was past 10:00 in the morning. She stretched and then lay quietly until there was a knock on the door.

Come in," she said and Mrs. Fontaine came in, standing at the foot of the bed looking disturbed. "What is it?" Ultima asked.

"Mr. Hoss is hitching up the buckboard and asked Cletus to help him—he's in a hurry. He said that the Mister sent him for a fresh shirt and a blanket. He said to tell you that they would be late and when I asked why, he said they had to go back into Virginia City."

Ultima sat up and stretched her arms over her head, yawning. "Why are you telling me? If Mr. Cartwright tore his shirt or soiled it and wants a buckboard in a hurry, why is that news?"

Mrs. Fontaine bit her lip. "Well, I asked him if it had anything to do with Miss Amanda—she didn't come home last night but I thought, well, no reason to bother you with it since you and the Mister came home from his father's so late, and then I figured that she would slip in during the night but her bed hasn't been slept in. Anyway, when I asked him, he looked…well…odd and said that he didn't have time to talk—he had to hurry—and he didn't even take off his hat when he talked to me and you know yourself how mannerly Mr. Hoss is."

Ultima sat and pondered. Then she climbed out of bed. "Help me dress—quickly. My riding habit, please—oh, but first, have Cletus saddle my horse." And Ultima shed her gown and began to draw on fresh underclothes, her mind troubled.

Adam had told Ultima that he would be leaving before sunup and joining Hoss to ride into town for breakfast. There was banking business to be done and then Adam and Hoss were going to ride over to Aaron Child's to see his new hybrid Brahman bull brought up from Texas.

The two brothers were heading to the Ponderosa after their visit to tell their father that they both agreed that it would be in their best interest to see about purchasing a few of the full-blood Brahmans to enhance their own stock; the breed was odd looking but they were hardy and withstood heat better than any other breed since they had been brought over from India. Down in the southern regions, Louisiana and such, the Brahmans were being bred and proved themselves to be of sturdy stuff. But then Bill Fortson was promoting Texas Longhorns and the Cartwrights had been breeding them; they were also a hardy breed and desired for their tasty beef.

"I dunno, Adam," Hoss said as they slowly rode their horses; they were close to the Ponderosa and decided that they had to come to an agreement on what to advise their father. "What about breedin' a Brahman bull with a Longhorn heifer? What do you think that would look like?"

Adam chuckled. "A Chimera."

"A what?" Sometimes, Hoss thought, Adam didn't realize that not everyone was an educated as he and Hoss saw no reason to learn such things. Hoss initially suspected that Adam was just showing off but came to realize that it was just Adam.

"A mythical beast that had a lion's head…never mind. It would look odd but it might be one tasty side of beef. Think we should suggest Pa try it?"

Hoss laughed and then became serious and pulled up his horse. "Look there." He pointed. "Looks like buzzards circling. I bet we got a steer down."

"Oh, hell. That's all we need; wolves or bears looking for an easy meal." The two brothers trotted over and realized that it was near the well-worn passage over the terrain, their usual short cut bypassing the common road.

Hoss stopped a few feet away and saw something strange in the tall grass. "Adam, what the hell is that?" There were a few buzzards hopping across an odd looking carcass while a few circled above.

Adam stopped, raised himself in his stirrups and craned his neck. "I don't…" He swung down from his saddle and walked his horse over to where something lay among the grasses and the wildflowers. "Oh, hell. Jesus fuckin'…goddamn it all to hell!" Adam rushed at the buzzards and they reluctantly flew off and landed a short distance away, waiting and watching Adam with their beady eyes. But there was nothing he could do about the flies that swarmed and crawled over the body, their buzzing becoming the hideous sound of death. Hoss dismounted and Adam turned, his hands on his hips and paced a step and then back again and while Hoss watched, Adam pulled out his shirt tails, unbuttoned his shirt, removed it and laid it over Amanda's naked corpse; the buzzards had already started on her, pecking open her belly. The shirt covered her face and breasts but her lower torso was still partially exposed and Adam noticed the dirt and pieces of grass stuck to her. They had both noticed the bruises on her face, the slash across her throat, the dried blood on her chest and belly and the rope that was still tied about her ankles, but there was also a smear of blood on her inner thigh.

"Here," Hoss said. "Let me take off my vest and…"

Adam stopped him. "Just go to my place, it's closer, and get the buckboard and a blanket. We'll take her in to Doc Martin. Ask Mrs. Fontaine or Mao Li for the blanket and another shirt for me. Get back here as soon as you can and whatever you do, don't tell Ultima about this—just let them know I might be late tonight."

"Okay, Adam. Be back as fast as I can." But Hoss paused and looked at the body. "Adam, she's got blood on her thigh there. I think she's been…"

"I know, I know. Just hurry." Hoss nodded and then mounted his horse which wasn't happy about leaving the lush grass, and rode off quickly. Adam dropped down in the grass, his back to Amanda's body and stared out over the Ponderosa grasslands, ready to chase off any more buzzards. "You goddamn bastards are just going to have to find your meal elsewhere." Adam pulled out his gun and taking aim, shot one of the buzzards. It fell and the other birds scattered but the smell of death was too strong for them to resist and they landed a few yards away and then began their slow approach again.

Amanda had been placed, Adam knew, where one of them was sure to see her, beside the worn shortcut to Adam's place and then the Ponderosa beyond it. He or a member of his family was certain to come across her body or to at least see the buzzards circling and investigate thinking it was a downed steer. This time, Adam thought, he would kill Rollo even if he had to wait and pick the man off his horse with a rifle. He was sure it had been Rollo's knife that had slit the girls' throat.


	15. 15

15

Ultima cantered the flashy mare Adam had bought her as a birthday gift a few months earlier down the worn road to Virginia City. It had been the day before her birthday and Adam had stepped into the house and bellowed for her to come out. Ultima fumed; she had spoken to him so many times about calling out to her as if she were someone to order about so she had stepped out on the porch, cross and ready to chastise her husband for yelling for her like a barbarian. But Adam had just grinned and then Ultima saw the horse as Old Cletus, smiling, held its reins.

Adam had been pleased to see Ultima so happy with the chestnut mare with the flaxen mane and tail. He had been looking for weeks to find a horse that he hoped she would like yet was easy to manage; Ultima had scant experience riding horses.

"Oh, Adam, she's beautiful!" Ultima stroked the horse's smooth, velvety muzzle as the horse pushed into her cupped palm. "I think she wants a treat."

Adam moved up behind Ultima, wrapped his arms around her waist while Cletus averted his eyes. He was an old man but he still remembered the fire that built inside a man when he was near a beautiful woman, especially one he could have.

Adam leaned down and pressed his lips into Ultima's neck and then whispered next to her ear, "I would like a little treat as well, wife, and now that you have your horse, we can go riding all over the Ponderosa but right now, why don't we go upstairs and you ride me? I'll even let you use a quirt on my withers." And Ultima had feigned offense at the suggestion and then thought better of it and turned in Adam's arms, her face raised to look at him and told him that she would do so if she could wear her spurs. "Oh," Adam had said as he grabbed her firm buttocks in his hands, "I won't need any encouragement." And he had swept her up in his arms and taken her inside and up the stairs to her room where she thanked him for the present.

But now Ultima's thoughts were on finding Adam and Hoss and learning what had happened. She was afraid that it was Adam who had been hurt, perhaps shot and that was why he needed a clean shirt; they were still on uneasy terms with Farley Maxwell but then, perhaps it was Amanda. Ultima's stomach roiled with fear as she followed the road to Virginia City. It wasn't difficult to follow as so many conveyances and riders had traveled that no grass grew but Ultima was still nervous. She spoke to herself and told herself not to be a coward. And then she wished that she had taken a gun, not that she knew how to use one but she could at least wave it around. And Adam's words came back to her from months ago:

"If you don't know how to use a gun, there's no point in having one."

"But, Adam, I should carry a small derringer at least, don't you think? It's small enough to put in my reticule and if I need to frighten someone, I could take it out and point it at them."

"And they would grab it away from you and either shoot you or be so furious, they would slap you about. And men tend to find exertions sexually arousing—I don't want to even imagine what could happen. No gun until you learn to use one. And promise me that you won't go off by yourself and put yourself in danger."

Ultima had sulked but Adam's hands and mouth soon soothed her and Ultima finally said that she would learn how to use a derringer should Adam purchase one. And now she wished that she had the ability as she had kept putting off the shooting lessons.

She pushed the small mare to go faster when she saw a wagon's dust in the distance. "C'mon, girl," Ultima said to her horse and she kicked the animal on. As she closed in on the wagon, she saw Hoss turn around and then he slapped Adam's arm. Adam looked behind him and then stopped the wagon, handing the reins to Hoss, and jumping down. Ultima pulled up her horse.

"What the hell are you doing out here?" Adam stood glaring at her with his hands on his hips.

"I was worried. Mrs. Fontaine said that…" Ultima saw the blanket in the back of the buckboard, obviously covering a body, a woman's. She suddenly felt light-headed.

Adam noticed that Ultima blanched—even her lips seemed to lose color and he reached up for her and pulled her down from the saddle. She held onto him.

"It's Amanda, isn't it?" she whispered.

"Yes. We're taking her in to the doc's. Then I have an issue to settle with Farley Maxwell and his men, those cowards who use women to get back at me."

Ultima gripped his arms. "It wasn't Maxwell—at least I…I'm sure who's behind this and I know who had me…" Ultima found that she couldn't say the words. "It was Forsyth."

"Forsyth? How…why didn't you tell me earlier? Ultima, why did you keep it back?"

"I was afraid of what you'd do and what would happen to you? I just…" she began to cry and Adam softened and held her against him as she sobbed. Hoss looked away. "It's my fault. Oh, Adam, what happened to Amanda is my fault—all my fault."

"No, shhh. Come with us into town and tell Sheriff Coffee what happened and how you know it's Forsyth. None of what happened is your fault—none." Adam guided Ultima to the buggy and Hoss helped her up while Adam tied the mare onto the back along with Adam's horse. Then Ultima sat between Hoss and Adam and her husband threw an arm protectively around her shoulders as Hoss drove the buckboard into town and between sobs, Ultima told Adam about the conversation she had had with Forsyth in the churchyard. And Adam felt the hot fury rise inside him and grip his throat. He wanted to kill Forsyth—determined that he would.

The buckboard stopped in front of the Sheriff's office and Adam lifted Ultima down and walked her inside; Hoss continued to Dr. Martin's surgery with Amanda's body.

Roy looked up from his desk and was going to smile in greeting until he saw Ultima's face. He rose and took her from Adam's arms.

"What happened?" Roy asked Adam while he led Ultima to a chair.

"A girl who works…worked for us is dead; she was…." Adam considered what he should reveal in front of Ultima and then said, "Hoss took her to Paul Martin. He'll write up the required cause of death. Ultima informed me that Forsyth is more than likely behind it and that he was behind what happened to her. She's here to tell you—take her statement. I have to…join Hoss."

"Adam," Ultima said, an edge of desperation in her voice, "please don't do anything foolish or illegal…please."

"I won't," he said and leaned down and kissed her.

"Adam," Roy said. "If what your wife has to tell me gives me due cause to arrest Forsyth, I will. Don't you take the law into your own hands."

"I know, Roy. I know." And Adam strode out and headed resolutely to the Palace Hotel.

"What room is Mr. Forsyth in?" Adam asked Tom, the desk clerk. Adam leaned casually on the counter top; he didn't want to give Tom any reason to hie it down the street to fetch Roy Coffee.

"239 but he's got a woman with him, if you know what I mean? I told him that he should go to them not bring them here, that this was a hotel, not a whorehouse, but he slapped a $20.00 bill on the counter and then took her upstairs with him. I mean a whore belongs in a brothel, not in one of our rooms but I'm just the desk clerk and I couldn't drag the sheriff into the mess because Roy or Clem would just say that it ain't against the law for people to have guests in their rooms. But I hate having to change the sheets afterwards."

Adam smiled benignly at Tom's despair, thanked him and climbed the stairs. He reached room 239 and knocked.

"Go away," a man's voice called out.

Adam pounded on the door and Forsyth's voice boomed, "Get the fuck away!"

Adam stood back and then kicked the door and it swung inward, hanging on one hinge. The woman in the bed pulled the sheet up and screamed. Forsyth jumped out of the bed but before he could reach his derringer on the bureau, Adam swung out a leg and tripped Forsyth who went down, grasping for the brass foot board to stop himself, but too late. He rolled over on his back and Adam kicked him in his ribs. Forsyth grimaced and curled up in pain and to protect himself.

The woman cringed in the bed. Being a whore and working in a brothel, she was familiar with violence only the violence was usually directed at her but this man who she recognized as Adam Cartwright seemed to have no interest in her—barely glanced at her so she sat as quietly as she could and made herself as small as possible.

Adam pulled his gun. "Get up," he told Forsyth.

Forsyth made it up to his feet, still holding onto his side. "I'm up. What the fuck do you want?"

"We're going to the sheriff's." Adam motioned with the pistol's barrel toward the door. "Get going."

Forsyth reached for his pants but Adam stopped him.

"No goddamn clothes—just go."

"What the hell do you mean, no clothes?" Forsyth stood and stared.

"I mean what I said—no fuckin' clothes—not even your hat. You're going to walk bare-assed down the middle of Main Street all the way to Roy Coffee's office and if you stop or falter, I'll shove my boot up your ass so far you'll be able to lick the sole. Now go." Adam gave Forsyth a shove and he walked into the hall only to run into Tom, the desk clerk who had finally summoned the courage to see what the noise was.

"Oh, hell," he said when he saw a naked Forsyth on the landing and Adam behind him, his gun drawn.

Adam just nodded at Tom who gaped open-mouthed and stepped aside so that the two men could walk down the stairs and then out the front of the hotel, Adam smiled and tipped his hat at the women who stared open-mouthed at the naked man being paraded down the center of Virginia City. Forsyth tried to cover his genitals but Adam would shove him over into the dirt and manure that hadn't yet been raked up and Forsyth would have to struggle to regain his feet. The men on horseback pulled their horse over and the boys in the city ran beside Forsyth, laughing and hooting and the dogs also joined in the commotion, barking and following the group that was collecting around the two. Men came out from the saloons while the woman turned their heads and pulled their small children away but the men hooted and hollered and then one threw a dirt clod at Forsyth; it broke apart when it hit the side of his face.

Adam was a bit surprised that there was so much open hostility toward Forsyth but apparently Forsyth had treated the people and workers in town with disdain, lording his wealth and position over them as he had done with Tom at the hotel. Now was their time to see Forsyth brought down and so another man picked up a horse dropping and threw it at Forsyth. The people laughed and then the boys who had been running alongside, laughing and hooting, joined in and also picked up more droppings and threw them. Forsyth had to hold up his hands to protect his face and that left him exposed to view.

In front of the Sheriff's Office, Adam grabbed Forsyth by the scruff of his neck and steered him toward the door.

"You takin' him to the Sheriff?" one of the boys gleefully asked.

"Sure am," Adam said and pushed Forsyth up the step and into the office. Ultima gasped at seeing Forsyth naked and turned her head. "I took it upon myself, Roy, to bring in the suspect." He gave Forsyth one last shove and then kicked the door shut behind him with his foot.

"Damn, he smells like horse shit," Roy said.

"Well, seeing how he is a pile of shit himself, I can understand. Caught him in the act of consorting with a whore as well. I'm afraid that she'll probably help herself to all his cash in the room so he may not even be able to make bail. That should give you enough time to search out and file more charges beyond assault and conspiracy."

"I want a lawyer!' Forsyth demanded, covering himself with his hands.

"Time enough for that," Roy said as he pushed Forsyth into the back and opened a cell door. "For the moment, you're a guest of the city. Now cover yourself with that blanket." Roy turned the key and Adam slid his gun back into the holster. He walked out from the back and Ultima sat, looking amazed at what had just occurred.

Ultima rose and threw herself into Adam's arms. "You didn't kill him. Oh, Adam, I was so afraid you would." He held her to him and kissed her dark hair.

"It was tempting," Adam said, "but I figured that I'd have him suffer, be humiliated so I pushed him down the middle of the street as naked as the day he was born, all the way from the hotel to here. Only thinking of you kept me from kicking his face in and enjoying seeing him drown in his own blood. Woman, I think you civilized me." He lifted her face and kissed her and then looked over his shoulder at a loud thud.

The door had flown open and hit the wall and Hoss stood there looking perplexed. "What the hell's been goin' on?"


	16. 16

**16**

Forsyth denied all wrongdoing relating to both Ultima's tar and feathering and to the rape and murder of Amanda. His lawyer argued to have all the charges dropped since there was really no proof, just a leading conversation between Forsyth and Ultima that lent itself to interpretation.

"I was merely taking advantage of the unfortunate incident to perhaps convince Mrs. Cartwright to sell me some of her shares and as for the threat she claims I made implying I would injure her or someone she cared about, why I deny such an utterance." Forsyth was released but before he could leave town, was packing in his hotel room, Sheriff Coffee approached him and informed him that he needed to remain in town for another day; he had just received a wire from Reno that suggested Forsyth's involvement in Amanda Stiles' murder and Roy also suggested that Forsyth again contact his lawyer.

A young man known by the name of Max Zack was arrested in Reno for trying to rob a hardware store. While under arrest, he consulted with the public defender who said that if the charge would be dropped, Zack would give testimony about a young girl's accidental murder near Virginia City—tell all he knew and implicate the person who was behind it—a wealthy man by the name of Forsyth. Once Max was brought into town and taken to Sheriff Coffee, the young man told how a few weeks ago, he was hired by someone named Curly to make friends with a young girl who worked for the Cartwrights; Max didn't know her name at the time, just that a certain Mr. Forsyth wanted him to become friendly with her because domestic servants knew secrets about their employers and Forsyth wanted to know something scandalous about either Mr. or Mrs. Cartwright, something worthy to hold over them. Forsyth, through Curly, paid him ten dollars a week.

Max had ridden by the Cartwright home a few times, even waiting beyond the tree line upon occasion, before he finally found the girl outside one afternoon and started a friendship. Then Max received instructions from Forsyth that he was to lure Miss Amanda Stiles—that was her name-to town where he was to take her for a ride into the country for a picnic. Forsyth, along with two other hired men, one he didn't know, the other being Curly, took the young woman aside once Max and she were far on the edge of the Ponderosa and Forsyth asked her for information that he could use to blackmail either or both of the Cartwrights.

As Max related events, Amanda was not forthcoming; she claimed the Cartwrights were nice people and that nothing unusual happened in the house. The two men slapped her many times but all she did was cry. Forsyth berated her, threatened her, offered Amanda money to make something up, say that Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright had unusual practices but nothing. Then, on Forsyth's orders, the young woman was dragged into the bushes and stripped where all three of them except Forsyth, had their way with her but he threatened to have the acts repeated throughout the day unless she talked.

Amanda had sobbed and said that she knew nothing bad about her employers; they were good to her, and then Forsyth gave orders again and Amanda said please, for them to stop—she would say anything he wanted her to say. Forsyth asked if she would confess that Adam Cartwright sodomized her. She asked what that was and Forsyth just shook his head. He called her a hopeless, stupid girl and said that she was of no use to him; she couldn't even convince anyone the sky was blue. She begged for them to let her go, swore to say nothing about what had happened.

The young man related to Sheriff Coffee, that Forsyth nodded to one of the men, the short man with a scar across one cheek and the bridge of his nose, and he pulled out a knife and from behind the girl, slit her throat. Max quoted Forsyth as saying as he looked at her body, damn right you won't talk. Then they were told to drag her over near the path the Cartwright's used. One of them tied her ankles and then tied the rope to his saddle and dragged her behind his horse. The young man said that he was scared—he hadn't been told someone would be killed so he took his fifty dollars and headed for Reno. He spent all his money on whores and champagne and was soon again broke. That was why he had tried to rob the hardware store but he would testify against Forsyth if the law would go easy on him for his part.

That was where it stood and Ultima had wept and grieved over Amanda's death, blaming herself. "I would have sold all my shares to Forsyth—given them to him had I known what he would do." Adam didn't know how to console his wife as he felt that anything he could say would be inadequate; he too felt responsibility and guilt hang heavily upon him.

Adam had made the funeral arrangements and Amanda was buried in Virginia City's graveyard next to the church and every Sunday before services, Ultima placed fresh flowers from her garden on the grave and Adam would stand at a polite distance and wait for his wife. He was determined to always be there if Ultima needed him and Forsyth's trial would be coming up in two weeks. Adam knew that Ultima would probably be called. He dreaded that time when she would have to tell the world about her conversations with Forsyth and then describe what had happened to her. He tried to discuss her feelings about testifying but she refused and it was all he could do not to lose his temper with her obstinacy.

The evenings were becoming cool—fall was coming and the air, although still, brought a chill though the open bedroom window.

"Adam," Ultima asked, rolling over on her back and stretching, "when you leave, would you close the window?"

They had lain together and now the clock struck 10:00 in the evening.

"Yes," Adam answered. Today had been the last day of Forsyth's trial and Ultima had taken the news of the guilty verdict calmly. Roy Coffee had ridden out and joined Adam and Ultima for dinner while he gave the news. Forsyth had received thirty years but was going to appeal; he had an expensive big-city lawyer and there had been errors during the trial that might overturn the verdict or force a new trial. Ultima said nothing, made no comment-just continued to pick at her food.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Cartwright," Roy had said, "You may be called to testify again. Forsyth's lawyer also wants a change of venue—claims his client can't get a fair trial here."

Ultima calmly replied. "If I am required to testify again, I will—no matter where it is. I owe that much to Amanda." But Adam noticed that her hand was unsteady as she took up her water glass.

And that evening when Adam had gone to his wife and taken her in his arms, Adam felt as if for only the second time in their marriage—the first being their first night together—that Ultima was only doing her wifely duty and now there was the window comment. Adam knew it was her way of asking him to leave.

Adam rose from the bed and went to the window and pulled down the casement. He looked out into the darkness, one hand on the wall.

"Winter will cover that beautiful garden with snow," he said.

"But in the spring they'll come back." Ultima looked at her husband's profile and again noted how tender his mouth looked—how very gentle and vulnerable. Then Adam turned and looked at her.

"What about us, Ultima?"

"What do you mean?"

He walked over to the bed and she sat up.

"Will we ever be back to the way we were? We didn't marry for love—both of us know that—but I always thought you were the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. It makes things more pleasant for a man when the woman underneath him is easy on the eyes—although there is a way around it. But sometimes the posterior is none too nice either and in that case, a man just closes his eyes." Ultima smiled at the bawdy comment; it was like Adam to try to diffuse a tense moment to make things easier for her—and himself. Adam grinned gently at her. Then he extended his hand and stroked her cheek. "So fair of face—so lovely. Ultima, I've grown to…" Adam chuckled and rose from the bed, going back to the window; it made it easier to speak his heart. "I can't find the words to express my feelings, I've kept them hidden for so long. I wanted to make you happy that you married me, wanted to surround you with beauty and so I made the garden. For you, Ultima. I designed this house and built it-for you." He sighed heavily. He turned to face her. "I do love you, Ultima—although that word is inadequate to capture my true emotions. I can't find the words—no poetry, no song—nothing. My feelings for you are ineffable; I don't quite understand them myself."

Ultima looked at his face in the shadows of the night, the half-smile, his gentle expression when he looked at her and her voice caught in her throat. "Adam, we're both adults—it's not necessary for us to talk to one another as moon-struck lovers. Our arrangement suits me and I have tried my best to be a good wife to you. I do not deny you my bed and I support you…"

"Damn it, Ultima!" He strode to the bed and grabbed her up by her upper arms, looking into her face; she was surprised and he thought he saw a glimmer of fear. "I said that I loved you. Doesn't that mean anything to you? Don't you even care? Don't you want to be loved?" She looked at him and then she broke into tears and he sat and pulled her to him. "All right, all right, I'm sorry…I…" He stroked her dark hair.

"Oh, Adam," she sobbed. "I…I do love you. I just…oh, Adam…it's difficult for me to…I know I seem cold but oh, my darling." And she surrendered her mouth to him and her body—again-and this time, Adam felt her urgency, her desire and her need.

Ultima lay quietly in her husband's arms in the dark. It seemed that all the fear and anxiety of the past few months had dissolved away and she looked forward to the future—especially now with the spring coming after the snow.

And Adam was content; Ultima had gently kissed his throat before she had settled her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him. But what had made his heart sing was when she had whispered to him, "You are what I want, husband—you are who I need beside me and, Adam…I love you." And Adam knew she meant it.

~ Finis ~


End file.
